S-cells from a highly N-myc-amplified neuroblastoma are tumorigenic in nude mice.
Some neuroblastoma tumors when cultured in vitro give rise to N (neuronal) and S (non-neuronal) cells, which differ in morphology, state of differentiation, and tumorigenicity. Previously, tumor-forming potential was shown to be characteristic of N cells but not S cells. We examined cultures of N and S cells derived from a well-characterized, N-myc-amplified human neuroblastoma cell line, NBL-W, to determine whether these N and S cells also show differential tumorigenicity in nude mice. N cells formed tumors in 94% of trials and S cells formed tumors in 56% of trials. Although S cell tumors had a longer lag phase prior to tumor development, when tumors developed, both N and S cell-derived tumors grew rapidly. These results suggest that S cells do not always represent a benign component of neuroblastomas.
Sleight
B J
BJ
Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, OH 45267-0521.
Soukup
S
S
Ballard
E T
ET
Parysek
L M
LM
D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002898:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 8; D005784:Gene Amplification; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D007621:Karyotyping; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured