Modulation of retinoblastoma cell characteristics by hexamethylene bis- acetamide and other differentiating agents in cultureS Rajagopalan, M Rodrigues, T Polk, D Wilson, GJ Chader and BJ Hayden Department of Ophthalmology, University of Maryland, Baltimore 21201. The undifferentiated Y-79 retinoblastoma cell line can be induced by specific agents to express characteristics of mature retinal cells. In the present study, attached Y-79 cell cultures were treated with hexamethylene bis-acetamide (HMBA) and other differentiating agents and examined for "neuronal" and other properties. Immunocytochemical staining was performed with antibodies against neuron- and retina- specific antigens, [synaptophysin, interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein (IRBP), neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM), and rod- and cone-specific transducin (TR alpha and TC alpha)] and microtubule- associated protein (MAP-1) and tubulin. Enhanced expression of tubulin was observed with cAMP treatment in FBS media. Expression of N-CAM was observed in all groups. Morphological differentiation was pronounced with HMBA and butyrate treatment, with HMBA inducing increased tubulin expression after 2 weeks of treatment. Expression of TR alpha was minimal under all culture conditions, whereas TC alpha was ubiquitously expressed. This supports the concept that Y-79 retinoblastoma is predominantly of cone neuronal origin and that, surprisingly, immunocytochemical differentiation is not correlated with the marked morphological changes induced by the major differentiating agents used.
Volume 41,
Issue 9,
pp. 1331-1337,
09/01/1993
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