Signal transduction pathway of nitric oxide inducing PC12 cell death.
OBJECTIVE
To study signal transduction pathway of nitric oxide inducing death of PC12 cells.


METHODS
Cell survival rate was measured with MTT assay, and caspase-3 activity with caspase-3 assay kits after PC12 cells were incubated with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), caspase-3 inhibitor II plus SNP or p38 inhibitor-SB203580 plus SNP.


RESULTS
SNP induced death of PC12 cells in dose- and time-dependent manner and enhanced caspase-3 activity gradually. Both caspase-3 inhibitor II and SB203580 reduced cell death, but SB203580 reduced caspase-3 activity significantly.


CONCLUSIONS
NO may induce death of PC12 cells through activation of p38 and caspase-3.
Luo
C
C
Department of Neurosurgery, Zhujiang Hospital, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
Xu
R
R
Yang
Z
Z
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D016716:PC12 Cells; D051381:Rats; D015398:Signal Transduction
D009569:Nitric Oxide