title: The role of nerve growth factor in caspase-dependent apoptosis in human BE(2)C neuroblastoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the study was to determine if nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation induces apoptosis in the BE(2)C neuroblastoma cell line in vitro.
  
  
  METHODS
  The LPCX retroviral vector was used to achieve stable transduction of NGF complementary DNA into BE(2)C neuroblastoma cells. Wild-type and NGF-transduced cells were then incubated with varying concentrations of NGF for varying periods. A laddering assay was performed to determine the presence of DNA fragments characteristic of apoptosis. The expression of various cleaved and total caspases was determined by Western immunoblotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  p75 receptor expression in the NGF-transduced cell line was equivalent to that in the wild-type cell line, but Trk A receptor expression was significantly decreased in BE(2)C-NGF cells. DNA laddering assay demonstrated that only BE(2)C-NGF cells underwent apoptosis after stimulation with exogenous NGF. BE(2)C-NGF cells have increased expression of cleaved caspase-3 when compared with wild-type cells. Cleaved caspase-3 expression is further increased with exogenous NGF stimulation in the transduced cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study confirms that NGF stimulation of BE(2)C neuroblastoma cells can induce apoptosis through activation of the caspase cascade in vitro. The differential expression of the receptors Trk A and p75 between the wild-type and NGF-transduced cell lines may explain the differing effects observed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Biology and Epigenetics, Children's Memorial Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA. jlholub@gmail.com
authors.forename: Janette L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Holub
authors.forename: Yi-Yong
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chu
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Madonna
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005822:Genetic Vectors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D020917:Receptor, trkA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D020917:Receptor, trkA; D053148:Caspase 3