Vitamin E Induces Morphological Differentiation and Increases the Effect of Ionizing Radiation on Neuroblastoma Cells in Culture

Abstract

Vitamin E increased the expression of morphological differentiation in mouse neuroblastoma (NBP₂) cells in culture, but it did not produce a similar effect in glioma cell culture (C-6). The extent of vitamin E-induced changes on NB cells was dependent upon cell density, drug concentration, and the frequency of change of growth medium and drug. Neuroblastoma cells were more sensitive to vitamin E than glioma cells for the criterion of growth inhibition (due to cell death and reduction in cell division). The combination of vitamin E and X-irradiation produced an additive effect on both NB and glioma cells for the criterion of growth inhibition; however, it produced an additive effect for the criterion of morphological differentiation only on NB cells.