%0 Journal Article
%T Staurosporine and Extracellular Matrix Proteins Mediate the Conversion of Small Cell Lung Carcinoma Cells into a Neuron-Like Phenotype
%A Tamara Murmann
%A Carmen Carrillo-Garc¨ªa
%A Nadine Veit
%A Cornelius Courts
%A Alexander Glassmann
%A Viktor Janzen
%A Burkhard Madea
%A Markus Reinartz
%A Anne Harzen
%A Michael Nowak
%A Sven Perner
%A Jochen Winter
%A Rainer Probstmeier
%J PLOS ONE
%D 2014
%I Public Library of Science (PLoS)
%R 10.1371/journal.pone.0086910
%X Small cell lung carcinomas (SCLCs) represent highly aggressive tumors with an overall five-year survival rate in the range of 5 to 10%. Here, we show that four out of five SCLC cell lines reversibly develop a neuron-like phenotype on extracellular matrix constituents such as fibronectin, laminin or thrombospondin upon staurosporine treatment in an RGD/integrin-mediated manner. Neurite-like processes extend rapidly with an average speed of 10 ¦Ìm per hour. Depending on the cell line, staurosporine treatment affects either cell cycle arrest in G2/M phase or induction of polyploidy. Neuron-like conversion, although not accompanied by alterations in the expression pattern of a panel of neuroendocrine genes, leads to changes in protein expression as determined by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. It is likely that SCLC cells already harbour the complete molecular repertoire to convert into a neuron-like phenotype. More extensive studies are needed to evaluate whether the conversion potential of SCLC cells is suitable for therapeutic interventions.
%U http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0086910