Dynamics of Intracellular Superoxide and NO Content in Human Endotheliocytes and Carcinoma Cells after Treatment with NO Synthase Inhibitors

The dynamics of intracellular levels of superoxide and NO after cell treatment with NO synthase inhibitors were studied in human cells expressing various NOS isoforms: endotheliocytes and ECV-304 (eNOS) and carcinoma cells and HeLa-G63 (iNOS). Cytometric analysis of changes in the cell fluorescence intensity was carried out using superoxide and NO fluorescent indicators (dihydroethidene and DAF-2-DA, respectively). Intracellular levels of superoxide decreased in HeLa-G63 and ECV-304 cells after their incubation in medium with aminoguanidine, L-NAME, and D-NAME. Intracellular NO level decreased only in HeLa-G63 cells after incubation in medium with aminoguanidine and L-NAME, but not D-NAME. The level of NO returned to normal after 7-h culturing in inhibitor-free medium, while the level of superoxide increased and remained high throughout 3 generations. Incubation of cells with D-NAME did not increase the intracellular level of superoxide. Presumably, high prolonged generation of superoxide is a delayed result of inhibition of NO synthesis in HeLa-G63 cells.