Apoptosis is a critical determinant of tissue mass homeostasis and may play
a role in carcinogenesis. The aim of the present study was to investigate
anoxia-induced cell death in colon-derived HT29 cells and the effect of nit
ric oxide on this phenomenon. It was found that HT29 cells subjected to ano
xia undergo apoptosis in a time dependent manner, as determined by DNA frag
mentation and Hoechst-33258 dye staining. Cytochrome c release from mitocho
ndria to cytosol is a key step in this process and this release precedes DN
A fragmentation. NO inhibits anoxia induced apoptosis in these cells by inh
ibiting the release of cytochrome c and thus may play a role in modulating
the apoptotic cell death of colon-derived epithelial cells, (C) 1999 Academ
ic Press.