Biology and clinical relevance of nitric oxide.

摘要: Ten years ago the idea that nitric oxide might be a biological mediator would have seemed far fetched. Clinicians recalled from schooldays is clear, colourless gas which rapidly turns brown on contact with air, anaesthetists remembered series of disasters related to inadvertent contamination cylinders nitrous oxide, environmentally aware been familiar as product car exhaust and cigarette smoke pollutant, for others it conjured up images primordial swamps electrochemical storms. However, in 1987 was shown mammalian cells synthesise year later suggested communicate each other by synthesis amino acid arginine,1 1993 there were over 1000 publications biology oxide. This improbable has implicated pathogenesis diseases ranging hypertension septic shock dementia.1,2 Nitric synthesised arginine synthases. Despite apparent simplicity (a 1:1 combination two abundant elements) synthases are large complex proteins. They common features cytochrome P450 reductase contain oxidative reductive domains. Three isoforms synthase identified: an endothelial type, neuronal macrophage (inducible) type. The genes these enzymes localised chromosome 7 (endothelial type), 12 (neuronal 17 (macrophage type).3 isoform found some central peripheral neurones vascular endothelium, platelets, heart (endocardium myocardium). These normal constituents but enzyme …