Aroclor 1254-induced cytotoxicity in catecholaminergic CATH.a cells related to the inhibition of NO production.

The neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) specific inhibitor, 7-nitroindazole (7-NI), and the nitric oxide (NO) donor (S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillarnine, SNAP) were used to study the role of NO in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB: Aroclor 1254)-induced cytotoxicity in the immortalized dopaminergic cell line (CATH.a cells), derived from the central nervous system of mice. Treatment of the dopaminergic cells with various concentrations of Aroclor 1254 (0.5-10 microg/ml), a commercial PCB mixture, showed significant cytotoxicity as evaluated by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and assessment of cell viability, depending on the concentration used. We also observed that Aroclor 1254 treatment reduced the level of nNOS expression. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity of Aroclor 1254 was augmented by 10 microM of 7-NI, which alone did not produce cytotoxicity, while it was protected by treatment with SNAP. Depending on the concentrations of Aroclor 1254 used, intracellular dopamine and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) concentrations were significantly decreased. Therefore, these results suggest that PCBs have the potential for dopaminergic neurotoxicity, which may be related with the PCBs-mediated alteration of NO production originating from nNOS at least in part.