The anti-tumor agent, p-DDAP potently suppresses proliferation through apoptosis in human neuroblastoma NB-39-nu cells.

Retinoic acid (RA) is a chemotherapeutic agent used to induce neuronal cellular differentiation of neuroblastoma. However, because treatment with RA is associated with the side-effect of nyctalopia, efforts have been underway to identify new compounds that could potentially overcome these drawbacks. As part of these studies we have examined anti-cancer effects on the neuroblastoma NB-39-nu cells of p-dodecylaminophenol (p-DDAP), a novel derivative of N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) retinamide (4-HPR). p-DDAP suppresses proliferation, and induces G(0)/G(1) arrest and apoptosis to a greater extent than RA and 4-HPR. Neuronal differentiation was not detected in p-DDAP-treated cells. Since p-DDAP is not toxic and does not reduce blood retinol levels, p-DDAP might be a useful anti-neuroblastoma drug having reduced side-effects.