Neuronal cell lines as model dorsal root ganglion neurons: a transcriptomic comparison

Aim: Dorsal root ganglion neuron-derived immortal cell lines including ND7/23 and F-11 cells have been used extensively as in vitro model systems of native peripheral sensory neurons. However, while it is clear that some sensory neuron-specific receptors and ion channels are present in these cell lines, a systematic comparison of the molecular targets expressed by these cell lines with intact peripheral neurons is lacking. Methods: we examined the expression of RNA transcripts in the human neuroblastoma-derived cell line, SH-SY5Y, and two dorsal root ganglion hybridoma cell lines, F-11 and ND7/23, using Illumina next-generation sequencing. Results: The expression profile of these three cell lines did not resemble any specific dorsal root ganglion neuron subclass. The cell lines lacked many markers for nociceptive sensory neurons, such as the transient receptor potential V1 gene, but expressed markers for both myelinated and unmyelinated neurons. Conclusion: This paper provides insights into the receptor repertoire expressed in common dorsal root ganglion neuron-derived cell lines, and illustrates the limits and potentials of these cell lines as tools for neuropharmacological exploration. Overall design: RNA from mouse dorsal root ganglions, SH-SY5Y cells, F-11 cells, and ND7/23 cells were extracted and sequenced using Illumina HiSeq-2000 as 100-nucleotide single-end runs