Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical molecule, produced by NO synthase (NOS) in the body exerts a number of pathophysiological actions due to its chemical reactivity. Low amounts of NO (nM) normally produced by constitutive NOS play a critical role in different physiological events such as vasodilation and neurotransmission. Higher amounts of NO (μM) locally and spatially produced by inducible NOS during inflammation act as double-edged sword exerting either beneficial or detrimental effects. Recently, new vision on the biological role of NO has been proposed based on the possible cross-talk between constitutive and inducible NOS. Accordingly, normally produced low amounts of NO may be involved in the regulation of NF-kB activation and successively the expression of inducible NOS. Under normal conditions NF-kB activation is suppressed by low amounts of NO. Under conditions in which massive amounts of NO produced by inducible NOS act detrimentally, NO-elicited down-regulation of NF-kB activation is compromised due to the drop in NO at the early phase of inflammation caused by inactivation of constitutive NOS. Any treatment which counterparts the drop in NO, therefore, may present a new approach either in preventing or in treating inflammatory diseases.
Keywords: nitric oxide, no synthase, vasodilation, neurotransmission
Current Pharmaceutical Design
Title: Biochemical Aspects of Nitric Oxide
Volume: 10 Issue: 14
Author(s): Sofia Mariotto, Marta Menegazzi and Hisanori Suzuki
Affiliation:
Keywords: nitric oxide, no synthase, vasodilation, neurotransmission
Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical molecule, produced by NO synthase (NOS) in the body exerts a number of pathophysiological actions due to its chemical reactivity. Low amounts of NO (nM) normally produced by constitutive NOS play a critical role in different physiological events such as vasodilation and neurotransmission. Higher amounts of NO (μM) locally and spatially produced by inducible NOS during inflammation act as double-edged sword exerting either beneficial or detrimental effects. Recently, new vision on the biological role of NO has been proposed based on the possible cross-talk between constitutive and inducible NOS. Accordingly, normally produced low amounts of NO may be involved in the regulation of NF-kB activation and successively the expression of inducible NOS. Under normal conditions NF-kB activation is suppressed by low amounts of NO. Under conditions in which massive amounts of NO produced by inducible NOS act detrimentally, NO-elicited down-regulation of NF-kB activation is compromised due to the drop in NO at the early phase of inflammation caused by inactivation of constitutive NOS. Any treatment which counterparts the drop in NO, therefore, may present a new approach either in preventing or in treating inflammatory diseases.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Mariotto Sofia, Menegazzi Marta and Suzuki Hisanori, Biochemical Aspects of Nitric Oxide, Current Pharmaceutical Design 2004; 10 (14) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612043384637
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1381612043384637 |
Print ISSN 1381-6128 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4286 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
"Tuberculosis Prevention, Diagnosis and Drug Discovery"
The Nobel Prize-winning discoveries of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and streptomycin have enabled an appropriate diagnosis and an effective treatment of tuberculosis (TB). Since then, many newer diagnosis methods and drugs have been saving millions of lives. Despite advances in the past, TB is still a leading cause of infectious disease mortality ...read more
Current Pharmaceutical challenges in the treatment and diagnosis of neurological dysfunctions
Neurological dysfunctions (MND, ALS, MS, PD, AD, HD, ALS, Autism, OCD etc..) present significant challenges in both diagnosis and treatment, often necessitating innovative approaches and therapeutic interventions. This thematic issue aims to explore the current pharmaceutical landscape surrounding neurological disorders, shedding light on the challenges faced by researchers, clinicians, and ...read more
Emerging and re-emerging diseases
Faced with a possible endemic situation of COVID-19, the world has experienced two important phenomena, the emergence of new infectious diseases and/or the resurgence of previously eradicated infectious diseases. Furthermore, the geographic distribution of such diseases has also undergone changes. This context, in turn, may have a strong relationship with ...read more
Melanoma and Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer Treatment: Standard of Care and Recent Advances
In this thematic issue, we aim to provide a standard of care of the diagnosis and treatment of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer. The editor will invite authors from different countries who will write review articles of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. The Diagnosis, Staging, Surgical Treatment, Non-Surgical Treatment all ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
QSAR Based Design of New Antitubercular Compounds: Improved Isoniazid Derivatives Against Multidrug-Resistant TB
Current Pharmaceutical Design E-MHK-0103 (Mineraxin™): A Novel Nutraceutical with Biological Properties in Menopausal Conditions
Current Drug Metabolism Pleiotropic Effect of Statins as Antioxidants on Cardiac Hypertrophy
Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Discontinued) Gender Specific Aspects of Cell Death in the Cardiovascular System
Current Pharmaceutical Design Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Agonists as Insulin Sensitizers: From the Discovery to Recent Progress
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Modulation of Neutrophil Function by Hormones
Current Immunology Reviews (Discontinued) Monocytes and Macrophages as Cellular Targets in Liver Fibrosis
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) Beta-Blockers as First Line Treatment of Hypertension: A Proponents View
Current Hypertension Reviews Hyperglycemia-induced Oxidative Stress and its Role in Diabetes Mellitus Related Cardiovascular Diseases
Current Pharmaceutical Design Surgical or Interventional Revascularization in Diabetic Patients with Coronary Artery Disease?
Current Diabetes Reviews Editorial [Hot Topic:Metabolic Therapy: An Important Therapeutic Option for the Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases (Executive Editors: G.M.C. Rosano and G. Barbaro)]
Current Pharmaceutical Design Antioxidant and Antiinflammatory Activities of Curcumin on Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications
Current Pharmaceutical Design Autosomal Dominant Hypercholesterolemia: Needs for Early Diagnosis and Cascade Screening in the Tunisian Population
Current Genomics Patented Biomarkers of Peripheral Blood for the Early Detection of Cancer
Recent Patents on Biomarkers Olive Oil and Apoptosis of Cancer Cells
Current Nutrition & Food Science Sex Differences in Clinical Outcomes of Patients with Stable Coronary Artery Disease after Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
Current Pharmaceutical Design Atherosclerotic Coronary Heart Disease Epidemiology, Classification and Management
Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders-Drug Targets Assessment of Acute Coronary Syndromes: Focus on Novel Biomarkers
Current Medicinal Chemistry Let Them Eat Cake
Current Nutrition & Food Science Managing Safety Signals in Large Endpoint Trials
Current Drug Safety