title: Identifying genes involved in regulating differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: The genes regulating the induction of differentiation in neurons are not definitively known. Some neuronal tumors retain the ability to differentiate into mature, functional neurons in response to pharmacological agents, despite the presence of genetic anomalies. We hypothesized that some of the genes whose expression is altered between undifferentiated and differentiated states may be those responsible for inducing differentiation. To investigate this, we used a mouse neuroblastoma (NB) cell line, NBP(2), in which > or =90% of the cells in the culture terminally differentiate upon elevation of intracellular adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) levels. Gene expression was analyzed using cDNA array blots containing 588 known genes. mRNA from cultures of undifferentiated and differentiated NB cells was used to make cDNA probes for blot hybridization. We identified several genes that are predominantly expressed in either undifferentiated or differentiated NB cells. In addition, numerous genes are moderately up- or down-regulated during differentiation of NB cells. We identified the N-myc protooncogene, cyclin B1, and protease nexin 1 as genes that are expressed in undifferentiated NB cells and whose levels are significantly down-regulated upon differentiation. In contrast, the c-fes and c-fos protooncogenes and the RAG-1 gene activator are genes whose expression is significantly up-regulated during differentiation of NB cells. These findings were confirmed by RT-PCR analysis. The transcript size and expression level of N-myc, cyclin B1, protease nexin 1, c-fes, and c-fos were verified by Northern blotting. These genes may represent key mediators involved in the regulation of NB cell differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Center for Vitamins and Cancer Research, Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado, USA. Kedar.Prasad@UCHSC.edu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rudie Hovland
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nahreini
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Andreatta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edwards-Prasad
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D000818:Animals; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D019926:Cyclin B / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056744:Cyclin B1; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D016654:Genes, RAG-1 / Q000235:genetics; D016762:Genes, fos / Q000235:genetics; D016259:Genes, myc / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058255:Protease Nexins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051578:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fes; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D016564:Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C534700:Ccnb1 protein, mouse; D019926:Cyclin B; D056744:Cyclin B1; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D058255:Protease Nexins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C496646:Fes protein, mouse; D051578:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fes