International Journal of Hematology and Oncology 2023, Vol 33, Num 4 Page(s): 088-096
Behavior of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptor 4 Gene Expression in Patients with Neuroblastoma

Sema YILMAZ1, Can ACIPAYAM2, Fatih ERBEY3, Gulay SEZGIN2, Ibrahim BAYRAM2, Yasemin TUCCAR4, Nihal INANDIKLIOGLU5, Atila TANYELI2

1Samsun Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Samsun, TURKEY
2Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Adana, TURKEY
3Medical Park Bahcelievler Medical Faculty, Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, Istanbul, TURKEY
4Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Molecular Biology, Adana, TURKEY
5Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Adana, TURKEY

Keywords: Neuroblastoma, Sphingosine 1-phosphate, Apoptosis, Cancer, Children
Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 4 (S1P4), which induces cellular migration and prevents apoptosis, was investigated in patients diagnosed with neuroblastoma in our study. The study included 37 neuroblastoma patients and 25 healthy children. After RNA isolation, cDNA were performed and S1P4 gene expression levels were measured in leukocytes. S1P4 gene expression levels presented as mean ± SD were high in the study group. The difference was statistically significant between neuroblastoma patients (0.0387±0.0647) and healthy children (0.0366±0.0238) for S1P4 gene expression levels (p=0.028). Patients given no chemotherapy yet and and those who already completed chemotherapy showed no significant difference statistically (p=0.886). While decreased S1P4 gene expression levels (0.0188±0.0069) were seen in patients receiving maintenance therapy, patients completed chemotherapy had increased S1P4 gene expression levels (0.0322±0.0303). The difference was meaningful (p=0.048). Although S1P4 gene expression levels (0.0310±0.0201) estimated before the beginning of chemotherapy were higher than that of maintenance phase (0.0188±0.0069), the difference was not significant (p=0.158). Higher S1P4 gene expression levels were remarkable in neuroblastoma patients. The suppression of S1P4 gene expression levels during maintenance phase and the increasing of expression in following up without chemotherapy could bring to mind that the chemotherapy could cause to decreased cell migration and/or induction of apoptosis. The effect of S1P4 on the tumor progression and the association with chemotherapy should be investigated in cancer cases.