BACKGROUND: The histogenetic and biologic features of peripheral neuroepithelioma (PN) are still a matter of controversy. More detailed analyses might be facilitated by permanent PN cell lines. However, there have been only a few reports on the establishment of a PN cell line. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We established and characterized a PN cell line and further carried out experiments for potentiality of drug-induced neural differentiation. RESULTS: The cultured cells were spindle shaped with slender cytoplasmic processes. The histologic features of transplanted tumors in nude mice were essentially the same as those of the original tumor. Immunohistochemically, the neuroectodermal characteristics of the cell line were demonstrated by positive stain for neuron specific enolase, glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, neurofilament, and beta 2-microglobulin. Ultrastructurally, microtubules and dense core granules were observed in the cultured cells. Northern blot analyses revealed that c-myc was overexpressed in the cell line, whereas N-myc was not. The cell line showed neural differentiation after treatment with cAMP elevating reagents and nerve growth factor (NGF). The synergistic effects of cAMP analog and NGF on the neurite outgrowth were also observed. Furthermore, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor strongly blocked the action of cAMP analog, although it was not able to inhibit the same action of NGF. These findings suggested that the neurite outgrowth induced by the cAMP analog requires activation of PKA, whereas the same actions of NGF do not mediate such a pathway involving PKA activation. CONCLUSIONS: This is, to our knowledge, the first NGF responsive cell line derived from PN. This cell line might be valuable for further investigations of signal transduction pathways induced by cAMP analogs and NGF, for more precise analyses of the biological characteristics of PN, and finally, for the identification of differences between PN and several related tumors.
BACKGROUND: The histogenetic and biologic features of peripheral neuroepithelioma (PN) are still a matter of controversy. More detailed analyses might be facilitated by permanent PN cell lines. However, there have been only a few reports on the establishment of a PN cell line. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We established and characterized a PN cell line and further carried out experiments for potentiality of drug-induced neural differentiation. RESULTS: The cultured cells were spindle shaped with slender cytoplasmic processes. The histologic features of transplanted tumors in nude mice were essentially the same as those of the original tumor. Immunohistochemically, the neuroectodermal characteristics of the cell line were demonstrated by positive stain for neuron specific enolase, glial fibrillary acidic protein, S-100 protein, neurofilament, and beta 2-microglobulin. Ultrastructurally, microtubules and dense core granules were observed in the cultured cells. Northern blot analyses revealed that c-myc was overexpressed in the cell line, whereas N-myc was not. The cell line showed neural differentiation after treatment with cAMP elevating reagents and nerve growth factor (NGF). The synergistic effects of cAMP analog and NGF on the neurite outgrowth were also observed. Furthermore, a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor strongly blocked the action of cAMP analog, although it was not able to inhibit the same action of NGF. These findings suggested that the neurite outgrowth induced by the cAMP analog requires activation of PKA, whereas the same actions of NGF do not mediate such a pathway involving PKA activation. CONCLUSIONS: This is, to our knowledge, the first NGF responsive cell line derived from PN. This cell line might be valuable for further investigations of signal transduction pathways induced by cAMP analogs and NGF, for more precise analyses of the biological characteristics of PN, and finally, for the identification of differences between PN and several related tumors.