title: Induction of differentiation in neuro-2A cells by the monoterpene perillyl alcohol.
abstract: The monoterpenes limonene and perillyl alcohol have been shown to induce the complete regression of rat mammary carcinomas by what appears to be a cytostatic and differentiation process. In order to evaluate the differentiating effects of the monoterpenes we tested the ability of perillyl alcohol to induce differentiation in a well-characterized neuroblastoma cell model. Perillyl alcohol was found to be a potent inducer of the neuroblastoma-derived cell line Neuro-2A. Several cellular effects of monoterpenes were ruled out as contributing to Neuro-2A differentiation including its cytostatic effect and its ability to inhibit ubiquinone (CoQ) syntheses.
authors.affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of Human Oncology 53792, USA.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Gould
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D051379:Mice; D039821:Monoterpenes; D016501:Neurites / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014451:Ubiquinone / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D039821:Monoterpenes; D013729:Terpenes; D014451:Ubiquinone; C032208:perillyl alcohol; D004247:DNA