Effect of overexpression of the brain-specific Na+/Ca 2+ exchanger splice variant NCX1.5 on NO cytotoxicity in HEK293 cells

Nitric oxide (no) induces cytotoxicity in neuronal and glial cells via activation of the na+/ca2+ exchanger (ncx). this study examined the role of the predominant brain-specific ncx splice variant ncx1.5 in no-induced cytotoxicity in the hek293 cell expression system. cells were transfected with the plasmid construct pcdna3.1/v5-his containing full-length rat ncx1.5 cdna. there was no difference in the cytotoxic effects of the no donors sodium nitroprusside and s-nitroso-n-acetylpenicillamine between control and transfected cells. these results suggest that no cytotoxicity is not dependent on ncx1.5. © the japanese pharmacological society.