Immunocytochemical Expression of Microtubule‐associated Protein‐2 (MAP‐2) in Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Lines with Neuronal‐like Processes

Five of six human small cell lung cancer (SCLC) cell lines changed morphologically into cells with neuronal‐like processes on the extracellular matrix of human lung adenocarcinoma cell line PC‐9 cells (PC‐9/ECM substrate). The features of the neuronal‐like processes of these SCLC cell lines were examined immunocytochemically using monoclonal antibodies against p‐chains of tubulin and microtubule‐associated protein‐2 (MAP‐2), which is somatodendritic MAP of neurons. It was observed that β‐chains of tubulin and MAP‐2 were expressed along the neuronal‐like processes of SCLC cell lines. These findings suggest that the β‐chains of tubulin and MAP‐2 are expressed functionally in SCLC cell lines in association with the development of dendrite‐like processes on PC‐9/ECM substrate.