title: Nitric oxide induces cell death in a catecholaminergic cell line derived from the central nervous system.
abstract: The nitric oxide (NO) donors, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), 1-[2-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-ammonioethyl)amino]diazen-1-ium+ ++-1,2-diolate] (DETA NONOate), and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-D,L-penicillamine (SNAP) produce a dose-dependent increase in cell death in a catecholaminergic cell line (CATH.a) derived from the central nervous system. Cell death is associated with a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. Dopamine also induced cell death of CATH.a cells and this was potentiated by concentrations of SNP which alone did not produce cell death. Hemoglobin, a scavenger of NO radicals, blocked SNP- and SNAP-induced cell death. Catalase and superoxide dismutase, enzymes that metabolize H2O2 and superoxide, respectively, did not inhibit SNP- or SNAP-induced cell death. These data indicate that NO donors produce cell death in CATH.a cells through a mechanism related to the production of NO and the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential but unrelated to the production of H2O2.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health, Neuropsychiatry Branch, Neuroscience Branch, Neuroscience Center at St. Elizabeths, Washington, DC 20032, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wyatt
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Masserano
mesh_terms: D002374:Catalase / Q000494:pharmacology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000494:pharmacology; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D009599:Nitroprusside / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010396:Penicillamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines; D006454:Hemoglobins; C110881:S-nitro-N-acetylpenicillamine; D009599:Nitroprusside; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002374:Catalase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D010396:Penicillamine