Differential expression of Bcl-2 and Bax may enhance neuroblastoma survival.
OBJECTIVE
Aggressive tumors may alter their expression of Bcl-2 proteins to decrease apoptosis and increase survival. The authors reported previously that neuroblastoma cells have diminished apoptosis when placed in coculture with hepatocytes to stimulate a metastatic environment. It was hypothesized that the expression of proapoptotic (Bax) and prosurvival (Bcl-2 and Mcl-1) proteins would be altered in neuroblastoma cells grown in a cell culture model of metastatic neuroblastoma.


METHODS
Human neuroblastoma cells (IMR-32) were grown alone or in coculture with human hepatocytes for 2, 3, or 4 days. Bcl-2, Mcl-1, and Bax mRNA were measured with reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
Bcl-2, an antiapoptotic protein, was significantly increased in cocultured neuroblastoma cells by day 4. Bax, a proapoptotic protein, was significantly diminished by day 3. No significant change in Mcl-1 occurred in this study.


CONCLUSIONS
When neuroblastoma cells placed in coculture, the prosurvival protein, Bcl-2, is upregulated whereas the proapoptotic protein, Bax, is downregulated. The combination of these changes can maximally enhance the survival rate of neuroblastoma cells in coculture. The propensity for neuroblastoma to either metastasize or regress may be associated with its ability to differentially regulate the expression of different members of the Bcl-2 protein family.
Beierle
Elizabeth A
EA
Department of Surgery, University of Florida, J. Hillis Miller Health Science Center, Gainesville, Florida 32610-0286, USA.
Dai
Wei
W
Iyengar
Radha
R
Langham
Max R
MR
Copeland
Edward M
EM
Chen
Mike K
MK
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000096:biosynthesis; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein
C494826:BAX protein, human; D064549:Myeloid Cell Leukemia Sequence 1 Protein; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein