The effect of the PPAR-gamma agonist rosiglitazone on neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells in a metastatic xenograft mouse model.

Rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-gamma) agonist used in clinical practice to treat type 2 diabetes, has been shown to inhibit neuroblastoma cell proliferation in vitro. In the present study, SK-N-SH neuroblastoma cells were subcutaneously injected into SCID mice and their growth and metastatic behavior under the treatment with rosiglitazone was analyzed. Therapeutic effects were evaluated comparing primary tumor weight, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and number of pulmonary metastasis. Rosiglitazone significantly decreased cell proliferation of the SK-N-SH neuroblastomas from 57.0% in the solvent control to 45.0% and 47.0% in the two treatment groups, respectively. However, primary tumor weight, apoptosis, and metastasis were not considerably influenced. These results indicate that the PPAR-gamma agonist rosiglitazone has only slight antitumor effects on SK-N-SH neuroblastoma growth in vivo in contrast to in vitro.