A new human neuroblastoma cell line: Biological characteristics, cytogenetics and N-myc oncogene analysis

• Published in: TISSUE CULTURE RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS Vol. 8; no. 2; pp. 6 - 15
• Main Authors: Suzuki, Toshimitsu, Hirota, Masayuki, Iwabuchi, Makoto, Nomura, Nobuo, Saito, Fumiko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: The Japanese Tissue Culture Association 1990
• Subjects: cytogenetics; HSR; N-myc; neuroblastoma cell line; ultrastructure
• ISSN: 0912-3636; 1881-3704
• DOI: 10.11418/jtca1981.8.2_6

A new human neuroblastoma cell line designated NB-39-nu has been established from a human neuroblastoma serialy heterotransplanted in athymic nude mice. The cell line was potentially adrenergic, since intraperitoneal inoculation of NB-39-nu into athymic mice produced a neuroblastoma of rosette-fibrillary type with tyrosine hydroxylaseimmunoreactivity. Population doubling time was 41 hrs in the MEM medium and 22 hrs in the RPMI-1640medium. Modal chromosome number was 83. Karyotypic analysis revealed the structural aberrations of #1 and #2 chromosomes and homogeneously staining regions were inserted within the long arm of chromosome # 10. Ultrastructurally the cell line was mainly immature neuroblastic cells but a few of moderately differentiated neuroblastic cells were also included. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP, retinoic acid and cholera toxin but not nerve growth factor induced outgrowth of neurites without any detectable biochemical differentiation. Oncogene analysis indicated amplification of N-myc DNA and over-expression of its mRNA. The level of N-myc mRNA, however, did not change after the treatment of the cell line with dibutyryl cyclic AMP or retinoic acid.