Bone marrow-derived factors support growth of N-type, but not of melanocytic neuroblastoma cells.
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.
Kuçi
Zyrafete
Z
Children's University Hospital, D-72076 Tuebingen, Germany.
Bruchelt
Gernot
G
Seitz
Gabriele
G
Karov
Yocheved
Y
Or
Reuven
R
Handgretinger
Rupert
R
Niethammer
Dietrich
D
Hahn
Talia
T
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
D017077:Culture Media, Conditioned; D004295:Dihydroxyphenylalanine; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase; D004298:Dopamine; D009638:Norepinephrine