Premium
Differentiation of a human neuroblastoma into neuron‐like cells increases their susceptibility to transduction by herpesviral vectors
Author(s) -
GimenezCassina Alfredo,
Lim Filip,
DiazNido Javier
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.20976
Subject(s) - transduction (biophysics) , neuroblastoma , biology , neuron , signal transduction , neuroscience , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , cell culture , biochemistry
Gene transfer is a powerful tool for functional gene analysis in human cells. In this respect, there is a need to develop experimental models that involve homogeneous cultures of human neuron‐like cells susceptible to gene transduction and that are easy to handle. Here we describe an optimized and reproducible procedure to differentiate human SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells into a homogeneous population of neuron‐like cells. The fully differentiated cells are postmitotic and resemble primary cultured neurons in terms of their cytoskeletal polarity. Notably, differentiated SH‐SY5Y cells are far more susceptible to transduction by herpes simplex virus (HSV‐1)‐based vectors than proliferating SH‐SY5Y cells. This increase in transduction efficiency after neuronal differentiation may be due to the up‐regulation of cell surface receptors for herpesvirus entry. In summary, we propose that fully differentiated human neuron‐like cells obtained from the SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma may constitute an excellent and versatile experimental tool for gene transfer and functional genomic studies with HSV‐1 vectors. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.