Establishment and characterization of a human neuroectodermal cell line (TB) from a cerebrospinal fluid specimen

• Published in: Brain research 1999-05, Vol.827 (1), p.205-209
• Main Authors: Sorrentino, Giuseppe, Monsurrò, Maria R, Pettinato, Guido, Vanni, Roberta, Zuddas, Alessandro, Di Porzio, Umberto, Bonavita, Vincenzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal cells; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Cell cultures. Hybridization. Fusion; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Differentiation - physiology; Cerebrospinal Fluid - cytology; Chromogranins - analysis; Chromogranins - immunology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Leptomeningeal melanoma; Meningeal Neoplasms; Molecular and cellular biology; Neural crest; Neural Crest - cytology; Neuroectodermal Tumor, Melanotic; Neuroendocrine differentiation; Neurofilament; Neurofilament Proteins - analysis; Neurofilament Proteins - immunology; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase - analysis; Phosphopyruvate Hydratase - immunology; Retinoic acid; Synaptophysin - analysis; Synaptophysin - immunology; Tretinoin - pharmacology; Tumor Cells, Cultured - chemistry; Tumor Cells, Cultured - cytology; Tumor Cells, Cultured - enzymology; Vimentin - analysis; Vimentin - immunology
• ISSN: 0006-8993; 1872-6240
• DOI: 10.1016/S0006-8993(99)01197-X

We have established a cell line (TB) from a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimen of a patient with a primary leptomeningeal melanomatosis. TB cell line was immunoreactive with the antibodies for low molecular weight neurofilament protein, vimentin, neuron-specific enolase, chromogranin, synaptophysin and HMB-45 (an antibody sensitive and specific for melanoma). When TB cells were transplanted into nude mice, the same immunohistochemical pattern present in cultured cells was found but surprisingly, a positive staining for desmin was observed. Significant amounts of serotonin and its metabolite were detectable. Retinoic acid but not nerve growth factor was able to induce differentiation towards a neuronal phenotype. In summary, TB cells represent primitive neuroectodermal cells having the potential for neuronal, myoblastic and possibly melanoblastic differentiation.