Dyngo-4a Induces Neuroblastoma Cell Differentiation Through The AKT
and ERK1/2 Pathway
Authors: Huang Jinxi , Zhou Yi , Zeng Si , Xu Jihong , Liu Lilian , Grothusen John , Liu Renyu 
Published: December 2022

Aim:

The aim of the study is to check whether dyngo-4a can inhibit neuroblastoma (NB)
proliferation and induce NB cell differentiation

Background:

Dynamin plays a role in regulating neurotransmission, signaling pathways, nutrient uptake,
and pathogen infection, enhancing cell proliferation, tumor invasion, and metastasis. Studies
have reported that dyngo-4a, a dynamin inhibitor, can be used to identify potential biomarkers and
promising novel therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.

Objective:

To our knowledge, no published reports are showing that dynamin inhibitors can reduce
NB cell proliferation and induce differentiation. In this study, we report that dyngo-4a can inhibit NB
proliferation and induce NB cell differentiation.

Methods:

In this study, mouse neuroblastoma (Neuro-2a) cells were cultured in the presence or absence
of dyngo-4a or retinoic acid (RA), or in the presence of both dyngo-4a and RA, or in the presence
of sequential administration of dyngo-4a and RA to compare the effects on the inhibition of cell
proliferation and effects on neuroblastoma cell differentiation induction. The neural cell markers, Nestin
and Tuj 1 (Neuron-specific class III beta-tubulin), were used to demonstrate that the differentiated
cells have neuronal cell features. The phosphorylation of Protein Kinase B (AKT), extracellular signalregulated
kinases1/2 (ERK1/2), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were determined to examine
the potential mechanisms of induced differentiation.

Results:

Dyngo-4a or RA or dyngo-4a with subsequent RA administration induced Neuro-2a cell differentiation.
However, RA with subsequent dyngo-4a administration results in almost total death of
the Neuro-2a cells. The differentiation rate induced by dyngo-4a was significantly higher than the rate
by RA treatment (72.5 ± 1.4% vs. 52.9 ± 3.1% with neuron features, P<0.05; 39.0 ± 0.8% vs. 29.9 ±
1.8% for axons under light microscopy, p<0.05). The differentiation rate of cells treated with dyngo-4a
first, followed by RA, was greater than when they were added together (74.8 ± 3.8% vs. 10.6 ± 3.6%;
45.5 ± 1.6% vs. 12.4 ± 0.6%, p<0.01). Co-administration of dyngo-4a and RA at the same time diminished
differentiation efficacy significantly. Dyngo-4a induced Neuro-2a cell differentiation and increased
Tuj-1 positive staining by the 6th day post- treatment. Dyngo-4a also inhibited Neuro-2a cell
proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Regarding the mechanism, dyngo-4a treatment showed a
significant increase in p-AKT and p-ERK1/2 but not in p-EGFR.

Conclusion:

At a level comparable to RA, dynamin inhibition with dyngo-4a lowers proliferation and
causes differentiation of Neuro-2a mouse NB cells in vitro. The AKT pathway is activated by dynago-
4a, which results in differentiation. The combination of RA with dynago-4a reduces the efficiency of
differentiation. The application of dynago-4a followed by RA, on the other hand, enhances the differentiating
effect, implying alternative mechanistic roles in the process.