Histone deacetylase inhibitors differentially regulate c-Myc expression in retinoblastoma cells.

Retinoblastoma (RB) is the most prevalent childhood intraocular cancer type. Previous studies have demonstrated that (a proto-oncogene) is associated with tumorigenesis. However, at present, the influence of the expression profile and bioactivity of c-Myc on RB occurrence and progression is yet to be characterised.

Regulated differentiation of WERI-Rb-1 cells into retinal neuron-like cells.

The encouraging response and improved survival of acute promyelocytic leukemia patients following retinoic acid treatment has rendered differentiation therapy an attractive option in cancer treatment. Given that terminal differentiation represents a considerable barrier in retinoblastoma tumorigenesis and that retinoblastoma has a significantly higher spontaneous degeneration rate compared with other tumors (1,000-fold change), differentiation therapy represents a promising alternative in the treatment of retinoblastoma. However, the full differentiation potential of retinoblastoma still unknown.

An optimized gene transfection system in WERI-Rb1 cells.

The pathogenesis of Rb1 gene inactivation indicates that gene therapy could be a promising treatment for retinoblastoma. An appropriate gene transfer system is the basis for successful gene therapy; however, little attention has been given to an effective gene transfer system for retinoblastoma therapy in previous studies. This study was designed to provide an optimized transgene system for WERI‑Rb1 cells (W-RBCs).