Nerve growth factor (NGF) is known to produce nitric oxide (NO) in PC12 cells, and an iron-NO complex such as dinitro-iron complex (DNIC) is found to keep the cells from apoptosis by inhibiting their caspase activation. Previously we observed that serum-starved PC12 cells maintained their viability only for a couple of days even in the presence of NGF. Therefore, we examined whether any increase of intracellular iron in serum-starved PC12 cells could block the cell death even in the presence of NGF (N-death). Iron successfully prevented the N-death and decreased the amount of NO produced by NGF. Oxy-hemoglobin, an NO scavenger, could also block the N-death. All these results suggest that iron block the N-death by reducing the NO accumulated in a cell under a continual presence of NGF.

Keywords: death, Fe, iron-NO complex, NO, NOS