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Updated: Aug 3, 2026
Differentiation of the SH-SY5Y Human Neuroblastoma Cell Line
Published on: February 17, 2016
[Effects of high-affinity nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor gene on NGF-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma
1Department of Pathology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Objective:
To study the effects of transfection of high-affinity nerve growth factor receptor gene (trkA) on NGF-induced differentiation of human neuroblastoma cell line IMR-32.
Methods:
The recombinant retrovirus vector containing exogeneous trkA gene was constructed and packed by PA317 packaging cell line. The neuroblastoma cell line IMR-32 was transfected by virus containing supernatant. The transformant cell line was confirmed by Southern blot and RT-PCR techniques. The NGF was used to induce cellular differentiation of the transformant cells.
Results:
The trkA gene was successfully transferred and expressed in the neuroblastoma cells. After NGF treatment, the transformant cells displayed apparent neuron-like differentiation morphologically, and a slower rate of cell growth (MTT value 0.028 +/- 0.003) compared with original cell line (0.258 +/- 0.017) and empty virus transformed cell line (0.237 +/- 0.011). The cells remained in differentiated status after withdrawing the NGF from the medium. The transformant tumor cells rarely formed colonies in soft agar and failed to form tumor in nude mice.
Conclusion:
Restoration of high-affinity NGF receptor (trkA) expression in neuroblastoma cells could induce non-reversal differentiation. The trkA might be the important factor during NGF-induced differentiation of neuroblastoma cell.
