Neuroblastoma cells can express the hematopoietic progenitor cell antigen CD34 as detected at surface protein and mRNA level.

Recently, we have shown the expression of the hematopoietic precursor cell antigen CD34 on neuroblastoma cells. Here, we present the CD34 expression on 16 permanent neuroblastoma cell lines and primary cell lines at the mRNA level and the flow cytometric results on neuroblastoma cells grown in the same culture and split for flow cytometric analysis and total mRNA extraction. The flow cytometry was performed using a panel of anti-CD34 antibodies covering the epitope classes I to III. In eight neuroblastoma cell lines, CD34 mRNA expression could be detected and corresponded always with the protein surface expression. Alternatively, when CD34 mRNA expression was not seen, CD34 antigen expression ranged from negative to as high as 78%. Based on these results caution should be taken with transplants obtained by CD34+ stem cell selection from neuroblastoma patients.