Characteristics of stem cells from human neuroblastoma cell lines and in tumors.

Cellular heterogeneity is a hallmark of human neuroblastoma tumors and cell lines. Within a single neuroblastoma are cells from distinct neural crest lineages whose relative abundance is significant for prognosis. We postulate that a self-renewing multipotent tumor stem cell, which gives rise to diverse cell lineages, is the malignant progenitor of this cancer.

Nestin is a potential mediator of malignancy in human neuroblastoma cells.

Amplification of the N-myc proto-oncogene signifies aggressive behavior in human neuroblastoma. Likewise, overexpression of the intermediate filament nestin, a neuroectodermal stem cell marker, is linked to increased aggressiveness in several nervous system tumors. We investigated the interaction of these two proteins in human neuroblastoma cells.