PPARbeta agonists trigger neuronal differentiation in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y

Neuroblastomas are pediatric tumors originating from immature neuroblasts in the developing peripheral nervous system. Differentiation therapies could help lowering the high mortality due to rapid tumor progression to advanced stages. Oleic acid has been demonstrated to promote neuronal differentiation in neuronal cultures. Herein we report on the effects of oleic acid and of a specific synthetic PPAR beta agonist on cell growth, expression of differentiation markers and on parameters responsible for the malignancy such as adhesion, migration, invasiveness, BDNF, and TrkB expression of SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. The results obtained demonstrate that many, but not all, oleic acid effects are mediated by PPAR beta and support a role for PPAR beta in neuronal differentiation strongly pointing towards PPAR ligands as new therapeutic strategies against progression and recurrences of neuroblastoma.