X-Message-Number: 11670
Date: Mon, 03 May 1999 08:53:25 -0700
From: Olaf Henny <>
Subject: Nitric Oxide confirmed as a regulator for Cell Death

I am re-posting below an article from Cryonet after obtaining Steve's
permission.  I believe it will be of great interest in this group.

Best,
Olaf

>Message #11641
>From: "Stephen Bogner, P.Eng." <>
>Subject: Nitric Oxide confirmed as a regulator for Cell Death
>Date: Thu, 29 Apr 1999 13:25:38 -0600
>
>Researchers at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) at Duke
University
>in collaboration with scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have
>now found that nitric oxide (NO), a well-studied molecule implicated in a
>host of communication pathways in and between cells, is also a switch that
>controls whether cells live or die.
>...
>Stamler and his colleagues found that NO molecules occupy a critical site on
>the enzyme caspase, a molecular "executioner" within human cells. When
>occupying this site, NO effectively plugs a communication pathway that
>activates caspase and triggers cell death.
>"We showed that nitric oxide sits on the site and keeps the enzyme
>inactive," said Stamler. "Conversely, the nitric oxide is removed in cells
>programmed to die. Simply put, if you block nitric oxide production within
>the cell, you make the cell more susceptible to cell death. And if you add
>it back, you prevent cell death."
>Apoptosis can be triggered through a biochemical chain of events known as
>the Fas pathway. When activated, the Fas pathway initiates a cascade of
>signals within the cell that ultimately turns on caspase. When NO occupies
>the site on caspase, however, the death message is blocked. Fas somehow
>manages to pop the nitric oxide off the cells that are programmed to die.
>...
> "We'd like to think modulation of the nitric oxide system can be used for
>therapeutic gain," he said.
>
>The complete article can be found at: http://www.hhmi.org/news/stamler.htm
>
>The reason that I think that this might be of interest to cryonet is because
>it may have implications for the medication protocol that might be used to
>limit damage prior to or during suspension.  This is not my area of
>expertise - so someone knowledgeable may want to comment.
>
>Regards (and long life);
>
>Steve.

Stephen Bogner, P.Eng.

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