Nitric oxide induces apoptosis and autophagy; autophagy down-regulates NO synthesis in physalin A-treated A375-S2 human melanoma cells

•Physalin A induced the expression of iNOS in A375-S2 cells.•NO generated by physalin A induced apoptosis and autophagy in the cells.•NO suppressed mTOR expression, which led to autophagy induction.•Autophagy and NO production form a negative feedback loop that eventually protects the cells from apoptosis.

Physalin A is an active withanolide isolated from Physalis alkekengi var. franchetii, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine named Jindenglong, which has been used for the treatment of sore throat, hepatitis, eczema and tumors in China. Our previous study demonstrated that physalin A induced apoptosis and cyto-protective autophagy in A375-S2 human melanoma cells. Induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) with physalin A triggered apoptosis. In this study, NO generated by physalin A induced apoptosis and autophagy in A375-S2 cells, since physalin A induced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the cells. Generation of NO partially promoted both apoptosis and autophagy in A375-S2 cells. NO suppressed mTOR expression, which led to autophagy induction. An autophagic inhibitor, 3-methyladenine (3MA) promoted NO production, while acceleration of autophagy with an autophagic agonist rapamycin repressed NO production, suggesting that autophagy and NO production form a negative feedback loop that eventually protects the cells from apoptosis. The results together with the previous study indicate apoptosis and autophagy induced by physalin A in A375-S2 cells; the autophagy, repressing production of reactive nitrogen species (RNS) and ROS, protects the cells from apoptosis.

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