title: Bone marrow-derived factors support growth of N-type, but not of melanocytic neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neuroblastoma and melanoma cells have a common embryonal origin. In contrast to melanoma, most neuroblastoma tumours preferentially metastasize into bone marrow. Previously, we described that bone marrow-conditioned medium (BM-CM) supports the proliferation of catecholamine-producing (N-type) neuroblastoma (SK-N-SH, IMR-32, Kelly)-, but not of melanoma cells. Both neuroblastoma and melanoma produce DOPA (3,4 dihydroxyphenylalanine); while melanoma cells use tyrosinase for DOPA synthesis, neuroblastoma cells usually utilize tyrosine hydroxylase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Certain neuroblastoma cells (in our study: SK-N-LO, LS, SH-EP) express tyrosinase instead of tyrosine hydroxylase for synthesis of DOPA, and do not synthesize catecholamines, as shown by HPLC and RT-PCR analysis. Strikingly and in contrast to catecholamine-producing N-type cells, the proliferation of these melanocytic neuroblastoma cells is not supported by BM-CM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  With respect to proliferation in the presence of BM-CM, melanocytic neuroblastoma cells behave more like melanoma cells and may represent the subfraction of neuroblastoma cells with a minor tendency to metastasize into bone marrow.
authors.affiliation: Children's University Hospital, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Zyrafete
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Kuçi
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bruchelt
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seitz
authors.forename: Yocheved
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Karov
authors.forename: Reuven
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Or
authors.forename: Rupert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Handgretinger
authors.forename: Dietrich
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Niethammer
authors.forename: Talia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hahn
mesh_terms: D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned / Q000378:metabolism*; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004298:Dopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine