SiMa, a new neuroblastoma cell line combining poor prognostic cytogenetic markers with high adrenergic differentiation

We describe the establishment and characterization of a new neuroblastoma ( Nb) cell line, SiMa, carrying the major recurrent chromosome changes associ ated with poor prognosis Nb, including amplification of N-MYC by formation of double minutes (dmin), der(1)t(1;17)(p35;q12) and der(22)t(17;22)(q22;p1 3), and loss of chromosome 11, documented at both initiation and late passa ge. In contrast to these cytogenetic stigmata of poor prognosis, analysis o f catecholamine synthesis by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) mea surement revealed an advanced degree of adrenergic differentiation with hig h rates of 3,4-Dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), noradrenaline, homovanillic a cid (HVA), and vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) production. Contrastingly advanc ed differentiation and poor prognostic genetic markers combine to render Si Ma a unique instrument for investigating the pathology and therapy of Nb. ( C) Elsevier Science Inc., 1999. All rights reserved.