Intracellular expression of toll-like receptor 4 in neuroblastoma cells and their unresponsiveness to lipopolysaccharide.
BACKGROUND
Recently it has been reported that, toll-like receptors (TLRs) are expressed on a series of tumor cells, such as colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma and lung cancer. Although some cancer cells like melanoma cells are known to respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) via TLR4, not all cancer cells are positive for TLR4. There is little information on the expression and function of TLR4 in neuroblastoma cells. In this study, we investigated the expression of TLR4 in human neuroblastoma NB-1 cell line.


METHODS
Expression and localization of TLR4 were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometric analysis, respectively. Activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB by LPS was detected by degradation of IkappaB-alpha and NF-kappaB luciferase assay. Activation and expression of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and interferon regulatory factor (IRF)-3 was detected by immunoblot analysis.


RESULTS
Human NB-1 neuroblastoma cells expressed intracellular form of TLR4, but not the cell surface form. Further, NB-1 cells express CD14, MD2 and MyD88, which are required for LPS response. However, LPS did not significantly induce NF-kappaB activation in NB-1 cells although it slightly degraded IkappaB-alpha. NB-1 cells expressed no IRF-3, which plays a pivotal role on the MyD88-independent pathway of LPS signaling. Collectively, NB-1 cells are capable to avoid their response to LPS.


CONCLUSIONS
Although human NB-1 neuroblastoma cells possessed all the molecules required for LPS response, they did not respond to LPS. It might be responsible for intracellular expression of TLR4 or lack of IRF-3.
Hassan
Ferdaus
F
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Aichi 480-1195, Japan. hassan@aichi-med-u.ac.jp <hassan@aichi-med-u.ac.jp>
Islam
Shamima
S
Tumurkhuu
Gantsetseg
G
Naiki
Yoshikazu
Y
Koide
Naoki
N
Mori
Isamu
I
Yoshida
Tomoaki
T
Yokochi
Takashi
T
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D050838:Interferon Regulatory Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology*; D051218:Lymphocyte Antigen 96 / Q000378:metabolism; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / Q000378:metabolism; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000378:metabolism*
D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; C494232:IRF3 protein, human; D050838:Interferon Regulatory Factor-3; C495377:LY96 protein, human; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D051218:Lymphocyte Antigen 96; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases