Different patterns of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene expression in ovarian carcinoma cell lines.
BACKGROUND
Stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and release of nitric oxide by tumor cells may play a critical role in cancer development, either by exhibiting tumoricidal effects or by promoting tumor progression.


METHODS
In the present study, we investigated four ovarian carcinoma cell lines with respect to their iNOS expressing characteristics.


RESULTS
Following incubation with interferon-gamma, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1 beta, a marked stimulation of iNOS gene expression was found in SKOV-6 and OVCAR-3 cells, while only minor iNOS synthesis was detectable in HOC-7. Time-dependent accumulation of nitrite/nitrate in the culture supernatant indicated that the three cell lines were stimulated to produce and release nitric oxide. In contrast, no NO generation was observed in the fourth cell line under investigation, 2774.


CONCLUSIONS
Due to the growth regulatory functions attributed to NO, variations in NO production may be of importance e.g. following interferon-gamma therapy in patients with ovarian cancer.
Rieder
J
J
Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, University of Innsbruck, Austria.
Marth
C
C
Totzke
G
G
Smolny
M
M
Seibel
M
M
Hoffmann
G
G
D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D009573:Nitrites / Q000378:metabolism; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; C496319:NOS2 protein, human; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II