Objective: To determine whether cysteinyl leukotriene receptor agonist LTD(4) and cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 (CysLT(1)) antagonist pranlukast affect the differentiation of human neuroblastoma SK-N-SH cells.
Methods: SK-N-SH cell morphological changes induced by LTD(4), pranlukast and LTD(4) + pranlukast were observed with retinoid acid (RA) as the positive control. The expressions of CysLT(1) and CysLT(2) receptors were detected by immunoblotting analysis, and the expression of microtubule-associated protein-2 (MAP-2), a neuron marker, was detected by fluorescent immunostaining.
Result: The immunoblotting results showed that SK-N-SH cells expressed CysLT(1) receptor moderately, and CysLT(2) receptor highly. The morphological results showed that RA, pranlukast and LTD(4) + pranlukast induced the compaction of the cell bodies and the outgrowth of neurites, while LTD(4) had no significant effect. The immunostaining results showed that MAP-2 was distributed in the cell bodies in control or pranlukast-treated cells; it was distributed in cell bodies and neuritis in RA-treated cells. Pranlukast increased the numbers of MAP-2-positive cells.
Conclusion: The CysLT(1)receptor antagonist pranlukast modulates the differentiation of SK-N-SH cells.