The transcription factor activating protein 2 beta (TFAP2B) mediates neuronal differentiation in neuroblastoma cells

We here aimed to investigate the role of the transcription factor activating protein 2 beta (TFAP2B) in neuroblastoma pathogenesis. TFAP2 is a family of transcription factors that play a crucial role in embryonic differentiation and development. Oligonucleotide-microarray analysis of 649 neuroblastoma specimens demonstrated that TFAP2B downregulation is associated with unfavourable prognostic markers such as disseminated stage 4, age > 18 months, MYCN amplification, unfavourable gene expression-based classification and adverse patient outcome. Tetracycline inducible re-expression of TFAP2B in neuroblastoma cells…