Mitochondrial nitric oxide localization in H9c2 cells revealed by confocal microscopy

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2002 Jan 25;290(3):1010-4. doi: 10.1006/bbrc.2001.6284.

Abstract

This study shows the presence of all three nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) and NOS activity in H9c2 cells cultured under non-stimulated conditions. By using the 4,5 diaminofluoresceindiacetate (DAF-2DA) fluorimetric nitric oxide (NO(*)) detection system we observed NO(*) production in H9c2 cells. As revealed by confocal microscopy, NO(*) fluorescence colocalizes in mitochondria labeled with Mito-Tracker Red CM-H(2)Xros. Upon stimulation with acetylcholine (Ach), which increased NOS activity by 75%, the colocalization coefficient C(green) value, calculated as Pearson's correlation, increased from 0.07 to 0.10, demonstrating an augmented presence of NO(*) in mitochondria. Conversely, the presence of NO(*) in mitochondria decreased following cells pretreatment with l-MonoMethylArginine (L-NMMA), a competitive inhibitor of NOS activity, as indicated by the reduction of the C(green) value to 0.02. This work confirms that the presence of NO(*) in mitochondria can be modulated in response to different fluxes of NO(*).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholine / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Line, Transformed
  • Fluorescein / chemistry
  • Fluorometry
  • Indicators and Reagents / chemistry
  • Microscopy, Confocal
  • Mitochondria / chemistry*
  • Mitochondria / enzymology
  • Nitric Oxide / analysis*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase / metabolism
  • Protein Isoforms / metabolism
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • omega-N-Methylarginine / pharmacology

Substances

  • 4,5-diaminofluorescein diacetate
  • Indicators and Reagents
  • Protein Isoforms
  • omega-N-Methylarginine
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase
  • Acetylcholine
  • Fluorescein