Sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-treated PC12 cell line is being used in our laboratory as a cell model of nitric oxide (NO)-mediated damage for in vitro evaluation of potential neuroprotective compounds, thus cell response to SNP must be standardized to gain reproducible data. The NO-donor SNP has been shown to induce cell death at high concentrations in undifferentiated PC12 cells. Differences were found in sensitivity to SNP between cells from short- and long-term cultured cells. After 24-h exposure to 100-500 microM SNP, a decrease of cell viability was observed in both short- (17, 21 and 23rd passages) and long-term cultures (46, 49 and 50th passages), with IC(50) values of 312.72 and 462.90 microM, respectively. In cells from early passages, SNP-induced cell death was accompanied by significant increases of LDH leakage, nitrite production, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, catalase (CAT) activity, cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3 activation in comparison with those from late passages. Furthermore, untreated and SNP-treated cells from long-term cultures displayed an increase of the stress protein Hsp70 levels when compared with those from short-term cultures. Up-regulated levels of Hsp70 may be associated with cell survival. Therefore, cells may acquire a certain resistance to SNP-induced toxicity associated with an increase in cell passage-dependent Hsp70. The protein Hsp70 might modulate the cellular response to the toxic insult by increasing CAT and GSH-Px activities and decreasing caspase-3 activation. Finally, it is crucial for the standardization of this cell model of neurotoxicity, at least in part, the use of PC12 cells in an optimum and reliable range of passages.