The balance between nitric oxide and superoxide determines apoptotic and necrotic death of rat mesangial cells

Nitric oxide (NO.) and superoxide (O2-) are inflammatory mediators. Their formation seems to be associated with apoptotic and/or necrotic cell death in diseases such as mesangioproliferative glomerulonephritis in which the early phase of mesangiolysis is linked to significant NO. production. Notably, mesangial cells (MC) not only generate NO. but also O2- after cytokine stimulation. Here we investigated the interrelation between NO. and O2- in MC death by generating both radicals with the use of NO donors (S-nitrosoglutathione, spermine-NO) and O2(-)-generating systems (2,3-dimethoxy-1,4-naphtoquinone, hypoxanthine/xanthine oxidase). Exogenously supplied NO. or O2- in a concentration-dependent manner induced apoptosis and/or necrosis. Apoptosis is characterized by chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation in contrast to necrotic cytoplasmatic membrane rupture. Noteworthy, coincubation of NO. and O2- was cross-protective. Maximum protection required the existence of a balanced NO./O2- ratio. Analysis in cytokine-stimulated MC suggests endogenous radical formation, which may participate in modulating apoptosis. Manipulation of the endogenous NO./O2- ratio by exogenous, sublethal S-nitrosoglutathione in addition to cytokines produced death, which was antagonized by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibition. Moreover, pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate supplementation, which down-regulates iNOS expression and blocks superoxide dismutase activity, initiates apoptosis. Our results imply the participation of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species in determining life and death of MC.