Zhengyuan Xia and Paul M. Vanhoutte Pages 1774 - 1782 ( 9 )
Nitric oxide (NO) is produced in almost all tissues and it exerts a variety of biological actions under both physiological and pathological conditions. It is synthesized by three distinct enzymes: endothelial (eNOS), neuronal (nNOS) and inducible (iNOS) nitric oxide synthases. NO is a cardioprotective mediator in powerful cardioprotective processes such as pre- and post-conditioning ischemia; they operate largely in a NO-dependent manner. However, the activity of different NOSs isoforms as well as, the bioavailability of NO can be affected by a variety of disease conditions (in particular diabetes) and pathological situations associated with significantly elevated levels of the pro-inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). These adversely affect NO-signaling, as well as the efficacy and safety of treatments with NO or NO-containing agents.
This brief review focuses on the role of NO in ischemic myocardial protection with emphasis on its contribution to ischemic pre-and post-conditioning cardioprotection. The impact of pathologic conditions on NO bioavailability and NO-signaling and its potential means for improvement, will also be discussed.
Nitric oxide,cardiac ischemia,synthesized,endothelial,neuronal,cardioprotective,necrosis,myocardial,potential,tetrahydrobiopterin,reoxygenationinduced,atherosclerosis,PATHOGENESIS,exogenous,nitroglycerin
, K424, QMH, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Hong Kong, 102 Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China.