Enhanced MYCN oncogene expression in human neuroblastoma cells is associated with altered FGF receptor expression and cellular growth response to basic FGF.

We have examined the effect of human basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the proliferation of human neuroblastoma cells with normal and enhanced MYCN oncogene expression. bFGF stimulated the proliferation of the neuroblastoma cells with enhanced, but not normal, MYCN expression. Both cell species express FGFR-1, but not FGFR-2, receptors and both harbor FGF receptor species of Mr 145.000, but they differ in their pattern of lower and higher-molecular weight FGF receptor species. Our results demonstrate that enhanced MYCN expression confers to neuroblastoma cells the ability to respond to bFGF, possibly by inducing functional FGF receptors. This mechanism may contribute to the advanced malignant phenotype of human neuroblastomas with enhanced MYCN expression.