Dexamethasone induces increased catecholamine biosynthesis in cultured neuroblastoma

The effect of dexamethasone on morphological and biochemical parameters of catecholamine biosynthesis in cultured murine neuroblastoma cells was determined. Treatment for 7 days with 25 μM dexamethasone produced a more intense and uniform catecholamine fluorescence as determined by fluorescence histochemistry using the glyoxylic acid technique. Treatment with dexamethasone also produced a two-fold increase in dopamine content and a threefold increase in tyrosine hydroxylase activity compared with controls. These results suggest that this potent glucocorticoid induces differentiation in cultured murine neuroblastoma, as measured by both biochemical and morphological techniques.