title: Purging of the neuroblastoma stem cell compartment and tumor regression on exposure to hypoxia or cytotoxic treatment.
abstract: We worked out an experimental protocol able to purge the stem cell compartment of the SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma clone. This protocol was based on the prolonged treatment of the wild-type cell population with either hypoxia or the antiblastic etoposide. Cell fate was monitored by immunocytochemical and electrophysiologic (patch-clamp) techniques. Both treatments produced the progressive disappearance of neuronal type (N) cells (which constitute the bulk of the tumor), leaving space for a special category of epithelial-like substrate-adherent cells (S(0)). The latter represent a minimal cell component of the untreated population and are endowed with immunocytochemical markers (p75, c-kit, and CD133) and the electrophysiologic "nude" profile, typical of the neural crest stem cells. S(0) cells displayed a highly clonogenic potency and a substantial plasticity, generating both the N component and an alternative subpopulation terminally committed to the fibromuscular lineage. Unlike the N component, this lineage was highly insensitive to the apoptotic activity of hypoxia and etoposide and developed only when the neuronal option was abolished. Under these conditions, the fibromuscular progeny of S(0) expanded and progressed up to the exhaustion of the staminal compartment and to the extinction of the tumor. When combined, hypoxia and etoposide cooperated in abolishing the N cell generation and promoting the conversion of the tumor described. This synergy might mirror a natural condition in the ischemic areas occurring in cancer. These results have relevant implications for the understanding of the documented tendency of neuroblastomas to regress from a malignant to a benign phenotype, either spontaneously or on antiblastic treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Pathology and Oncology, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Marzi
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: D'Amico
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Biagiotti
authors.forename: Serena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giunti
authors.forename: Maria Vittoria
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Carbone
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fredducci
authors.forename: Enzo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Wanke
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olivotto
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002999:Clone Cells; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005047:Etoposide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D000860:Hypoxia; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D005047:Etoposide