Orlando G F, Wolf G, Engelmann M
Institute of Medical Neurobiology, Otto von Guericke University, Magdeburg, Germany.
Amino Acids. 2008 Jun;35(1):17-27. doi: 10.1007/s00726-007-0630-0. Epub 2008 Feb 28.
Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical gas synthesised from arginine and oxygen by enzymes of the family of the nitric oxide synthase. In particular, the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is highly expressed by cells of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, where the sympatho-adrenal system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system originate. These structures are deputed to regulate the neuroendocrine stress response. In the past years, evidence has been accumulated to suggest that NO of nNOS origin plays a significant role in modulating the activity of the above mentioned systems under acute stressor exposure. The availability of nNOS knock-out mice allowed to investigate not only the physiological consequences of a constitutive lack of NO of nNOS origin at the hormonal and molecular level, but also to examine possible behavioural alterations. In this review, we shall discuss and confront the current trends of research in this area, especially focusing on the latest findings gained from genetically modified mice.
一氧化氮（NO）是一种自由基气体，由一氧化氮合酶家族的酶从精氨酸和氧气合成。特别是，神经元型一氧化氮合酶（nNOS）在下丘脑室旁核的细胞中高度表达，交感-肾上腺系统、下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴和下丘脑-神经垂体系统均起源于此。这些结构负责调节神经内分泌应激反应。在过去几年中，已有证据表明，源自nNOS的NO在急性应激源暴露下调节上述系统的活动中起重要作用。nNOS基因敲除小鼠的出现，不仅使我们能够在激素和分子水平上研究nNOS源性NO持续缺乏的生理后果，还能研究可能的行为改变。在这篇综述中，我们将讨论并对比该领域的当前研究趋势，尤其关注从转基因小鼠获得的最新发现。
