Neuronal nitric oxide synthase induction in the antitumorigenic and neurotoxic effects of 2-methoxyestradiol.

OBJECTIVE: 2-Methoxyestradiol, one of the natural 17ß-estradiol derivatives, is a novel, potent anticancer agent currently being evaluated in advanced phases of clinical trials. The main goal of the study was to investigate the anticancer activity of 2-methoxy-estradiol towards osteosarcoma cells and its possible neurodegenerative effects. We used an experimental model of neurotoxicity and anticancer activity of the physiological agent, 2-methoxyestradiol. Thus, we used highly metastatic osteosarcoma 143B and mouse immortalized hippocampal HT22 cell lines. The cells were treated with pharmacological (1 µM, 10 µM) concentrations of 2-methoxyestradiol. EXPERIMENTAL: Neuronal nitric oxide synthase and 3-nitrotyrosine protein levels were determined by western blotting. Cell viability and induction of cell death were measured by MTT and PI/Annexin V staining and a DNA fragmentation ELISA kit, respectively. Intracellular levels of nitric oxide were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: Here we demonstrated that the signaling pathways of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer may overlap. We presented evidence that 2-methoxyestradiol, in contrast to 17ß-estradiol, specifically affects neuronal nitric oxide synthase and augments 3-nitrotyrosine level leading to osteosarcoma and immortalized hippocampal cell death. CONCLUSIONS: We report the dual facets of 2-methoxyestradiol, that causes cancer cell death, but on the other hand may play a key role as a neurotoxin.

Modification of DNA structure by reactive nitrogen species as a result of 2-methoxyestradiol-induced neuronal nitric oxide synthase uncoupling in metastatic osteosarcoma cells.

2-methoxyestradiol (2-ME) is a physiological anticancer compound, metabolite of 17ß-estradiol. Previously, our group evidenced that from mechanistic point of view one of anticancer mechanisms of action of 2-ME is specific induction and nuclear hijacking of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), resulting in local generation of nitro-oxidative stress and finally, cancer cell death. The current study aims to establish the substantial mechanism of generation of reactive nitrogen species by 2-ME. We further achieved to identify the specific reactive nitrogen species involved in DNA-damaging mechanism of 2-ME. The study was performed using metastatic osteosarcoma 143B cells. We detected the release of biologically active (free) nitric oxide (•NO) with concurrent measurements of peroxynitrite (ONOO-) in real time in a single cell of 143B cell line by using •NO/ONOO- sensitive microsensors after stimulation with calcium ionophore. Detection of nitrogen dioxide (•NO2) and determination of chemical rate constants were carried out by a stopped-flow technique. The affinity of reactive nitrogen species toward the guanine base of DNA was evaluated by density functional theory calculations. Expression and localization of nuclear factor NF-kB was determined using imaging cytometry, while cell viability assay was evaluated by MTT assay. Herein, we presented that 2-ME triggers pro-apoptotic signalling cascade by increasing cellular reactive nitrogen species overproduction - a result of enzymatic uncoupling of increased nNOS protein levels. In particular, we proved that ONOO- and •NO2 directly formed from peroxynitrous acid (ONOOH) and/or by auto-oxidation of •NO, are inducers of DNA damage in anticancer mechanism of 2-ME. Specifically, the affinity of reactive nitrogen species toward the guanine base of DNA, evaluated by density functional theory calculations, decreased in the order: ONOOH > ONOO- > â€¢NO2 > â€¢NO. Therefore, we propose to consider the specific inducers of nNOS as an effective tool in the field of chemotherapy.

Coordinate cis-[Cr(C2O4)(pm)(OH2)2]⁺ Cation as Molecular Biosensor of Pyruvate's Protective Activity Against Hydrogen Peroxide Mediated Cytotoxity.

In this paper instrumental methods of carbon dioxide (CO2) detection in biological material were compared. Using cis-[Cr(C2O4)(pm)(OH2)2]⁺ cation as a specific molecular biosensor and the stopped-flow technique the concentrations of CO2 released from the cell culture medium as one of final products of pyruvate decomposition caused by hydrogen peroxide were determined. To prove the usefulness of our method of CO2 assessment in the case of biological samples we investigated protective properties of exogenous pyruvate in cultured osteosarcoma 143B cells exposed to 1 mM hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) added directly to culture medium. Pyruvic acid is well known scavenger of H2O2 and, moreover, a molecule which is recognized as one of the major mediator of oxidative stress detected in many diseases and pathological situations like ischemiareperfusion states. The pyruvate's antioxidant activity is described as its rapid reaction with H2O2,which causes nonenzymatic decarboxylation of pyruvate and releases of CO2, water and acetate as final products. In this work for the first time we have correlated the concentration of CO2 dissolved in culture medium with pyruvate's oxidant-scavenging abilities. Moreover, the kinetics of the reaction between aqueous solution of CO2 and coordinate ion, cis-[Cr(C2O4)(pm)(OH2)2]⁺ was analysed. The results obtained enabled determination of the number of steps of the reaction studied. Based on the kinetic equations, rate constants were determined for each step.

Methyl-beta-cyclodextrin induces mitochondrial cholesterol depletion and alters the mitochondrial structure and bioenergetics.

There is growing evidence of mitochondrial membrane raft-like microdomains that are involved in the apoptotic pathway. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of methyl-beta-cyclodextrin (MßCD), being a well-known lipid microdomain disrupting agent and cholesterol chelator, on the structure and bioenergetics of rat liver mitochondria (RLM). We observed that MßCD decreases the function of RLM, induces changes in the mitochondrial configuration state and decreases the calcium chloride-induced swelling. These data suggest that disruption of mitochondrial raft-like microdomains by cholesterol efflux on one hand impairs mitochondrial bioenergetics, but on the other hand it protects the mitochondria from swelling.

Pivotal participation of nitrogen dioxide in L-arginine induced acute necrotizing pancreatitis: protective role of superoxide scavenger 4-OH-TEMPO.

For the first time, a direct sensitive method of *NO(2) detection and measurement in biological material has been established. It is based on the interaction of this radical with the coordination compound of Cr(III) with aminodeoxysugar as biosensor. Our new method makes it possible to precisely assess *NO(2) level in experimental acute necrotizing pancreatitis induced by L-arginine, where oxidative and nitrosative stresses are supposed to play a key role in the pathomechanism of the disease. As much as 20 nmol of *NO(2)/mg protein was detected which correlated with severe deterioration of pancreatic acinar cell ultrastructure. Protective effect of superoxide radical scavenger 4-OH-TEMPO expressed as *NO(2) level decrease confirmed by preserved acinar cell ultrastructure and decreased pancreatic amylase release to blood serum is demonstrated. This study reveals a possible pathomechanism of L-arginine induced acute pancreatitis.