Differentiation and apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells: Role of N-myc gene product

To clarify the role and function of the N-myc product in cell differentiation and apoptosis, we used the antisense oligonucleotide technique to inhibit N-myc gene expression in neuroblastoma cells with different phenotypes: intermediate (I) and neuronal (N), or Schwann-glia (S), respectively. The results suggest that N-myc operates along different pathways. Inhibiting N-myc gene expression either results in suppression of cell proliferation or in induction of differentiation and/or apoptosis.