Inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) appears to be a marker of tumor progression in colon carcinogenesis. Here we investigated effects of NO on selected chemokines that differentially regulate angiogenesis, namely pro-angiogenic interleukin (IL)-8 as well as tumor-suppressive interferon-inducible protein-10 (IP-10) and monokine induced by interferon-γ (MIG). These chemokines are expressed by DLD-1 colon carcinoma cells after stimulation with IL-1β/interferon-γ. Expression of IL-8 was markedly upregulated by NO. Moreover, NO enhanced expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). In contrast, expression of IP-10 and MIG was suppressed by NO. The present data are consistent with previous observations that link NO to enhanced tumor angiogenesis and imply that NO-mediated upregulation of IL-8 and VEGF as well as downregulation of IP-10 and MIG may contribute to this phenomenon.
