The importance of Reelin in Neuroblastoma

Neurblastoma is a malignant tumor of early childhood. Its heterogeneity is reflected in its biological properties as well as clinical outcome. In this theses work, I have investigated the function of reelin, an extracellular glycoprotein with neuronal guidance capacity in the brain, for its impact on neuroblastoma progression and metastasis. I found that neuroblastoma cells have most likely abberrant reelin or reelin receptor expression. This leeds to insensitivity to reelin, which may provide a stop signal in normal development. Therefore the loss of reelin or non-functional reelin signalling may promote progression and metastasis of neuroblastoma.2013-07-1