SKNMC Cells Research Articles

Interaction of alpha-2-macroglobulin and HSV-1 during infection of neuronal cells.

We describe the effect of pretreatment with alpha-2-macroglobulin (A2M) on the susceptibility of the human neuroblastoma SKNMC cell line to infection by herpes virus type 1 (HSV-1). ELISA and co-immunoprecipitation experiments confirmed the A2M-HSV-1 interaction in vitro. Indirect immunofluorescence shows that A2M exacerbated the cytopathic effect induced after HSV-1 infection. However, A2M-pretreated SKNMC cells notably produced fewer HSV-1 particles than did the untreated cells, suggesting that A2M could induce a restrictive infection. Furthermore, high levels of HSV-1 and A2M induced the production of nitric oxide (NO) in SKNMC. Preliminary results suggest that A2M might induce apoptosis in HSV-1-infected cells. These findings affirm the conclusion that A2M may interact directly with HSV-1 and modulate the course of the infection in SKNMC human neuroblastoma cells.

Human neuroblastoma cells use either insulin-like growth factor-I or insulin-like growth factor-II in an autocrine pathway via the IGF-I receptor: Variability of IGF, IGF binding protein (IGFBP) and IGF receptor gene expression and IGF and IGFBP secretion in human neuroblastoma cells in relation to cellular proliferation

Neuroblastoma cells are thought to depend upon autocrine stimulation by IGF-II but not by IGF-I. We have studied the expression of IGF, IGFBP and IGF receptor mRNA in two human neuroblastoma cell lines, SK-N-MC and CHP, and asked whether or not the expression of the IGF system in these malignant cells determines their growth pattern. SK-N-MC cells grow with a cell doubling time of 36 hours in medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum whereas CHP cells only grow with a doubling time of 72 h. In addition, the SK-N-MC cell line has a plating efficiency ten times greater than the CHP cell line. RNase protection assays were performed using 32 P -labelled riboprobes and RNA that had been purified from SK-N-MC and CHP cells respectively. A 520 bases human IGF-I, a 556 bases human IGF-II, a 480 bases human IGF-I receptor and a 250 human IGF-II/mannose-6-phosphate (M6P) receptor probe were radiolabelled as were human IGFBP-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6 probes. While both SKNMC and CHP neuroblastoma cells expressed mRNAs for IGFBP -2, -4, and -6 no signal was detected for IGFBP-1, and -3 and only SK-N-MC cells expressed IGFBP-5 mRNA. In addition, a 400 bases protected band was seen with the IGF-I receptor probe and a 260 bases protected band with the IGF-IIM6P receptor probe in either cell line. Interestingly, a 300 bases protected species was detected with the IGF-II probe in CHP cell RNA whereas SK-N-MC cells did not express IGF-II transcripts. Conversely, SK-N-MC cells expressed a 520 bases IGF-I transcript while CHP cells did not show IGF-I mRNA expression. As determined by specific radioimmunoassays SK-N-MC cells secreted 0.75±0.02 ng/ml IGF-I, 1.2±0.04 ng/ml IGF-II and 149±2.1 ng/ml IGFBP-2 within 24 h, whereas CHP cells secreted 0.1±0.01 ng/ml IGF-I, but 6.2±0.1ng/ml IGF-II and 254.8±5.5 ng/ml IGFBP-2 ( N=5). IGFBP-2 secretion correlated positively with IGF-II secretion in CHP cells ( r=0.85, P=0.05) and negatively with IGF-I ( r=−0.9, P<0.01) in SK-N-MC cells. In conclusion, SK-N-MC cells which grow rapidly and have a high plating efficiency, express IGF-I, while CHP cells that grow more slowly express IGF-II. We hypothesize that neuroblastoma cells depend upon autocrine stimulation by either IGF-I or IGF-II. Variable sensitivity to growth inhibitors or apoptotic processes may be related to the differential expression of the IGF system.

Platelet Activation Induced by a Human Neuroblastoma Tumor Cell Line Is Reduced by Prior Administration of Ticlopidine

Ticlopidine (250 mg twice daily) was administered to human volunteers for seven days and the response of their heparinized platelet-rich plasma to SKNMC (ADP-dependent) human neuroblastoma cells was examined. The first wave of platelet aggregation, characteristic of ADP-dependent human tumor cell lines, was completely abolished but was replaced by a lag period prior to the onset of aggregation. In the Baumgartner perfusion apparatus there was a marked inhibition in the thrombus generated by the presence of SKNMC cells with a concomitant increase in the percentage of surface coverage. These results suggest that the administration of ticlopidine could be useful to prevent some of the steps of metastatic dissemination in which activated platelets may play a role.