RESUMO
BACKGROUND/AIM: Nitric oxide (NO) has antitumor activity against various solid tumor cell types in addition to its vasodilatory effect. In the current study, we investigated the effect and mechanism of the synthetic nitrated form (NO2-NAT) of nateglinide, a hypoglycemic agent, on the induction of cell death in human pancreatic cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: NO production was evaluated by measuring nitrite (NO2) and nitrate (NO3) (NOx). Apoptotic cell numbers were determined using annexin V. RESULTS: NO2-NAT released nitrate and nitrite ions immediately upon dissolving in aqueous solution. NO2-NAT caused significant extracellular leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in the human pancreatic cancer cell lines AsPC1 and BxPC3, and increased annexin-positive cells in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. NO2-NAT also significantly increased the activity of caspases 3 and 7. Exposure to Z-VAD-FMK, a caspase inhibitor, significantly suppressed NO2-NAT-induced cell death. CONCLUSION: These results indicated that NO2-NAT induces apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells and may serve as a new NO-based chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.