DR-nm23 gene expression in neuroblastoma cells: relationship to integrin expression, adhesion characteristics, and differentiation.
BACKGROUND
Neuroblastoma, a childhood tumor originating from cells of the embryonic neural crest, retains the ability to differentiate, yielding cells with epithelial-Schwann-like, neuronal, or melanocytic characteristics. Since nm23 gene family members have been proposed to play a role in cellular differentiation, as well as in metastasis suppression, we investigated whether and how DR-nm23, a recently identified third member of the human nm23 gene family, might be involved in neuroblastoma differentiation.


METHODS
Three neuroblastoma cell lines (human LAN-5, human SK-N-SH, and murine N1E-115) were used in these experiments; cells from two of the lines (SK-N-SH and N1E-115) were also studied after being stably transfected with a plasmid containing a full-length DR-nm23 complementary DNA. Cellular expression of specific messenger RNAs and proteins was assessed by use of standard techniques. Cellular adhesion to a variety of protein substrates was also evaluated.


RESULTS
DR-nm23 messenger RNA levels in nontransfected LAN-5 and SK-N-SH cells generally increased with time after exposure to differentiation-inducing conditions; levels of the other two human nm23 messenger RNAs (nm23-H1 and nm23-H2) remained essentially constant. Transfected SK-N-SH cells overexpressing DR-nm23 exhibited some characteristics of differentiated cells (increased vimentin and collagen type IV expression) even in the absence of differentiation-inducing conditions. Compared with control cells, DR-nm23-transfected cells exposed to differentiation-inducing conditions showed a greater degree of growth arrest (SK-N-SH cells) and greater increases in integrin protein expression, especially of integrin beta1 (N1E-115 cells). DR-nm23-transfected N1E-115 cells also showed a marked increase in adhesion to collagen type I-coated tissue culture plates that was inhibited by preincubation with an anti-integrin beta1 antibody.


CONCLUSIONS
DR-nm23 gene expression appears to be associated with differentiation in neuroblastoma cells and may affect cellular adhesion through regulation of integrin protein expression.
Amendola
R
R
Enea, CR-Casaccia, Section of Toxicology and Biomedical Sciences, Rome, Italy.
Martinez
R
R
Negroni
A
A
Venturelli
D
D
Tanno
B
B
Calabretta
B
B
Raschellà
G
G
D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015342:DNA Probes; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D016023:Integrins / Q000032:analysis*; D051379:Mice; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
D015342:DNA Probes; D016023:Integrins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm