title: Expression of nerve growth factor receptor by human primitive neuroectodermal tumors.
abstract: The expression of low-affinity nerve growth factor receptor (NGF-R) by primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) was analyzed in vivo and in vitro to investigate the relationship between NGF-R expression and cellular differentiation. NGF-R was expressed in one medulloblastoma cell line and two neuroblastoma cell lines. When these cells were induced to differentiate by treatment with dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate, NGF-R was overexpressed and there was increased expression of neurofilament proteins. Immunohistochemistry investigation of tumor tissues demonstrated that NGF-R was expressed by a subset of PNETs with a neuronal phenotype marked by neurofilament protein expression, but not by gliomas and PNETs without a neuronal phenotype. Growth inhibition assay demonstrated that NGF inhibited the growth of cells expressing NGF-R. These results indicate that NGF-R expression is a useful marker of neuronal differentiation by PNETs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Kobe University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kokunai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sawa
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamaki
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018242:Neuroectodermal Tumors, Primitive / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D016900:Neurofilament Proteins; D017475:Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor