title: Receptor for advanced glycation end products plays a more important role in cellular survival than in neurite outgrowth during retinoic acid-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is known to interact with amphoterin. This interaction has been proposed to play a role in neurite outgrowth and process elongation during neurodifferentiation. However, there is as yet no direct evidence of the relevance of this pathway to neurodifferentiation under physiological conditions. In this study we have investigated a possible role of RAGE and amphoterin in the retinoic acid-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cells. The functional inactivation of RAGE by dominant negative and antisense strategies showed that RAGE is not required for process outgrowth or differentiation, although overexpression of RAGE accelerates the elongation of neuritic processes. Using the antisense strategy, amphoterin was shown to be essential for process outgrowth and differentiation, suggesting that amphoterin may interact with other molecules to exert its effect in this context. Interestingly, the survival of the neuroblastoma cells treated with retinoic acid was partly dependent on the expression of RAGE, and inhibition of RAGE function partially blocked the increase in anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 following retinoic acid treatment. Based on these results we propose that a combination therapy using RAGE blockers and retinoic acid may prove as a useful approach for chemotherapy for the treatment of neuroblastoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neuroimmunological Cell Biology, Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Klinische Forschung, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 30a, Leipzig 04103, Germany.
authors.forename: Gangadharan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sajithlal
authors.forename: Henri
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huttunen
authors.forename: Heikki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rauvala
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Munch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005799:Genes, Dominant; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology*; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts / Q000494:pharmacology; D013844:Thiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D004396:Coloring Agents; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D000067759:Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014212:Tretinoin; C022616:thiazolyl blue