Nitro-oxidative Stress Is Involved in Anticancer Activity of 17β-Estradiol Derivative in Neuroblastoma Cells

Neuroblastoma is one of the most common childhood malignancies and the primary cause of death from pediatric cancer. Derivatives of 17β-estradiol, 2-methoxyestradiol, as well as selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as fulvestrant, are novel potentially active anticancer agents. In particular, 2-methoxyestradiol is effective in treatment of numerous malignancies, including breast and prostate cancer, Ewing sarcoma, and osteosarcoma. Herein, we treated neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells with physiologically and pharmacologically relevant concentrations of 2-methoxyestradiol. We used flow cytometry in order to determine cell viability, cell death, level of nitric oxide and mitochondrial membrane potential. We demonstrated that at pharmacologically relevant concentrations, 2-methoxyestradiol results in induction of apoptosis of neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells via nitric oxide generation and reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential. Based on the obtained data, we propose that 2-methoxyestradiol may be a natural modulator of cancer cell death and survival through nitro-oxidative stress-dependent mechanisms. Moreover, the results confirm the efficiency of 2-methoxyestradiol in treatment of neuroblastoma.