title: Survival pathways triggered by peroxynitrite in cells belonging to the monocyte/macrophage lineage.
abstract: Peroxynitrite, a highly reactive nitrogen species, promotes in U937 cells (a promonocytic cell line) a mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-dependent necrosis. An initial event triggered by peroxynitrite (i.e., inhibition of complex III of the mitochondrial respiratory chain) is responsible for the time-dependent formation of H(2)O(2), essential for the occurrence of cell death. Otherwise non-toxic concentrations of peroxynitrite nevertheless commit cells to MPT-dependent necrosis, which is however prevented by a cytoprotective signaling driven by arachidonic acid (AA) released by the cytosolic PLA(2) isoform. Interestingly, the mechanism whereby delayed formation of H(2)O(2) promotes toxicity in cells exposed to intrinsically toxic concentrations of peroxynitrite is independent of the accumulation of additional damage. Cell death is in fact mediated by inhibition of the AA-dependent cytoprotective signaling. Exogenous AA, however, prevented toxicity also under these conditions. An additional point to be made is that the major findings obtained using U937 cells were reproduced in different cell types belonging to the monocyte/macrophage lineage. Hence, within the context of the inflammatory response, monocytes and macrophages may cope with peroxynitrite by using AA, a signaling molecule largely available at the inflammatory sites.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Farmacologia e Farmacognosia, Università degli Studi di Urbino Carlo Bo, Via S. Chiara, Urbino (PU) 27-61029, Italy. cantoni@uniurb.it
authors.forename: Orazio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cantoni
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tommasini
authors.forename: Liana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cerioni
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palomba
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Carloni
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guidarelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D016923:Cell Death; D019070:Cell Lineage; D002470:Cell Survival; D003600:Cytosol / Q000201:enzymology; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007249:Inflammation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000166:cytology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D009336:Necrosis; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000737:chemistry; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D020298:U937 Cells
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010741:Phospholipases A