title: Nitric oxide protects human extravillous trophoblast cells from apoptosis by a cyclic GMP-dependent mechanism and independently of caspase 3 nitrosylation.
abstract: Apoptosis is thought to play an important regulatory role in placental development and inappropriate trophoblast apoptosis has been implicated in complications of pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia. Here we show that apoptosis of a human extravillous trophoblast-derived cell line (SGHPL-4) can be regulated by nitric oxide (NO). Nitric oxide produced exogenously by the addition of NO donors was able to delay or inhibit apoptosis induced by a combination of tumour necrosis factor alpha and actinomycin D and to suppress the activity of caspase 3. Treatment with hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) stimulated expression of the inducible isoform of NO synthase and was also able to protect SGHPL-4 cells from caspase 3 activation and apoptosis. The inhibition of basal NO production with NO synthase inhibitors was shown to sensitise cells to apoptotic stimuli and to reduce the level of endogenous caspase 3 nitrosylation. The anti-apoptotic effects of NO in these extravillous trophoblast cells appear to be mediated through the production of cyclic GMP as inhibitors of soluble guanylate cyclase inhibited the protective effect of both HGF and NO donors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, UK.
authors.forename: Philip R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Judith E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Cartwright
authors.forename: Philip N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Alan P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Johnstone
authors.forename: Guy St J
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Whitley
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D020169:Caspases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D019169:Jurkat Cells; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D011500:Protein Synthesis Inhibitors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003609:Dactinomycin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D020169:Caspases; D006152:Cyclic GMP