Abstract
The vascular endothelium is a monolayer of cells between the vessel lumen and the vascular smooth muscle cells. Nitric oxide (NO) is a soluble gas continuously synthesized from the amino acid L-arginine in endothelial cells by the constitutive calcium-calmodulin-dependent enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). This substance has a wide range of biological properties that maintain vascular homeostasis, including modulation of vascular dilator tone, regulation of local cell growth, and protection of the vessel from injurious consequences of platelets and cells circulating in blood, playing in this way a crucial role in the normal endothelial function. A growing list of conditions, including those commonly associated as risk factors for atherosclerosis such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diabetes mellitus and heart failure are associated with diminished release of nitric oxide into the arterial wall either because of impaired synthesis or excessive oxidative degradation. The decreased production of NO in these pathological states causes serious problems in endothelial equilibrium and that is the reason why numerous therapies have been investigated to assess the possibility of reversing endothelial dysfunction by enhancing the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium. In the present review we will discuss the important role of nitric oxide in physiological endothelium and we will pinpoint the significance of this molecule in pathological states altering the endothelial function.
Keywords: Atherosclerosis, antioxidant, endothelium, inflammation, nitric oxide, vasodilation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular endothelial growth factor, reactive oxygen species
Current Vascular Pharmacology
Title: The Role of Nitric Oxide on Endothelial Function
Volume: 10 Issue: 1
Author(s): Dimitris Tousoulis, Anna-Maria Kampoli, Costas Tentolouris Nikolaos Papageorgiou and Christodoulos Stefanadis
Affiliation:
Keywords: Atherosclerosis, antioxidant, endothelium, inflammation, nitric oxide, vasodilation, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, vascular endothelial growth factor, reactive oxygen species
Abstract: The vascular endothelium is a monolayer of cells between the vessel lumen and the vascular smooth muscle cells. Nitric oxide (NO) is a soluble gas continuously synthesized from the amino acid L-arginine in endothelial cells by the constitutive calcium-calmodulin-dependent enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). This substance has a wide range of biological properties that maintain vascular homeostasis, including modulation of vascular dilator tone, regulation of local cell growth, and protection of the vessel from injurious consequences of platelets and cells circulating in blood, playing in this way a crucial role in the normal endothelial function. A growing list of conditions, including those commonly associated as risk factors for atherosclerosis such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diabetes mellitus and heart failure are associated with diminished release of nitric oxide into the arterial wall either because of impaired synthesis or excessive oxidative degradation. The decreased production of NO in these pathological states causes serious problems in endothelial equilibrium and that is the reason why numerous therapies have been investigated to assess the possibility of reversing endothelial dysfunction by enhancing the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium. In the present review we will discuss the important role of nitric oxide in physiological endothelium and we will pinpoint the significance of this molecule in pathological states altering the endothelial function.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Tousoulis Dimitris, Kampoli Anna-Maria, Tentolouris Nikolaos Papageorgiou Costas and Stefanadis Christodoulos, The Role of Nitric Oxide on Endothelial Function, Current Vascular Pharmacology 2012; 10 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016112798829760
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157016112798829760 |
Print ISSN 1570-1611 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-6212 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Ischemic Cardiovascular Diseases: Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Therapy
Ischemic cardiovascular disease includes myocardial infarction, coronary atherosclerotic heart disease, angina pectoris, etc., constitute the leading cause of patient mortality by preventing tissues from getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients. Ischemic heart disease, as a clinical condition, is characterized by myocardial ischemia, causing an imbalance between myocardial blood supply and demand, ...read more
TREATMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE IN CHRONIC AND END STAGE KIDNEY DISEASE
Cardiovascular disease still remains the leading cause of death in Chronic and End Stage Kidney Disease, accounting for more than half of all deaths in dialysis patients. During the past decade, research has been focused on novel therapeutic agents that might delay or even reverse cardiovascular disease and vascular calcification, ...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
-
Nephrotoxicity Associated with Antiretroviral Therapy in HIV-Infected Patients
Current Drug Safety T-type Calcium Channels in Health and Disease
Current Medicinal Chemistry Serum Uric Acid is Independently Associated with Diastolic Dysfunction in Apparently Healthy Subjects with Essential Hypertension
Current Vascular Pharmacology Selection of Potential Pharmacological Targets in ALS Based on Whole- Genome Expression Profiling
Current Medicinal Chemistry Vitamin D in Acute Kidney Injury
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) Mas Receptor Agonists as Novel Antihypertensive Agents
Current Hypertension Reviews Beta-Blocker Therapy for Septic Cardiac Shock: Fiction Or Realism?
Current Drug Therapy Estrogens Acting as Cardiovascular Agents: Direct Vascular Actions
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents Recent Advances in Obesity Pharmacotherapy
Current Clinical Pharmacology A Slit in Podocyte Death
Current Medicinal Chemistry Effects of Senna didymobotrya Root Extract and Compounds on Tritoninduced Hyperlipidaemic Rats and Differentiation of 3T3-Li Preadipocytes
The Natural Products Journal Emerging Trends On Drug Delivery Strategy of Momordica charantia against Diabetes and its Complications
Current Drug Delivery Dermatologic Manifestations in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Current Rheumatology Reviews Canagliflozin : A New Hope in the Antidiabetic Armamentarium
Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery UPLC-MS for Identification of Quercetin Derivatives in Cuphea glutinosa Cham. & Schltdl (Lythraceae) and Evaluation of Antifungal Potential
Current Pharmaceutical Analysis Cerebrovascular and Blood-Brain Barrier Morphology in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats: Effect of Treatment with Choline Alphoscerate
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Characterization and Management of Cutaneous Side Effects Related to the Immunosuppressive Treatment in Solid Organ Recipients
Current Drug Targets Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) and their Receptor (RAGE) System in Diabetic Retinopathy
Current Drug Discovery Technologies Cannabidiol and Sodium Nitroprusside: Two Novel Neuromodulatory Pharmacological Interventions to Treat and Prevent Psychosis
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets The Signaling Pathways in Nitric Oxide Production by Neutrophils Exposed to N-nitrosodimethylamine
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery