Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
Translational Genomics Lab, Department of Biosciences, COMSATS University, Islamabad 45550, Pakistan.
Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Sep 3;19(9):2605. doi: 10.3390/ijms19092605.
The gasotransmitters are a family of gaseous signaling molecules which are produced endogenously and act at specific receptors to play imperative roles in physiologic and pathophysiologic processes. As a well-known gasotransmitter along with hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide, nitric oxide (NO) has earned repute as a potent vasodilator also known as endothelium-derived vasorelaxant factor (EDRF). NO has been studied in greater detail, from its synthesis and mechanism of action to its physiologic, pathologic, and pharmacologic roles in different disease states. Different animal models have been applied to investigate the beneficial effects of NO as an antihypertensive, renoprotective, and antihypertrophic agent. NO and its interaction with different systems like the renin⁻angiotensin system, sympathetic nervous system, and other gaseous transmitters like hydrogen sulfide are also well studied. However, links that appear to exist between the endocannabinoid (EC) and NO systems remain to be fully explored. Experimental approaches using modulators of its synthesis including substrate, donors, and inhibitors of the synthesis of NO will be useful for establishing the relationship between the NO and EC systems in the cardiovascular and renal systems. Being a potent vasodilator, NO may be unique among therapeutic options for management of hypertension and resulting renal disease and left ventricular hypertrophy. Inclusion of NO modulators in clinical practice may be useful not only as curatives for particular diseases but also for arresting disease prognoses through its interactions with other systems.
气体信号分子是一类内源性产生的气体信号分子，它们通过特异性受体发挥作用，在生理和病理过程中发挥重要作用。一氧化氮（NO）作为一种已知的气体信号分子，与硫化氢和一氧化碳一起，作为一种强效的血管舒张剂，也被称为内皮衍生的血管舒张因子（EDRF）而闻名。NO 的合成及其作用机制、在不同疾病状态下的生理、病理和药理作用等方面已经进行了更深入的研究。不同的动物模型已被应用于研究 NO 作为一种抗高血压、肾保护和抗肥厚作用的有益效果。NO 与其与肾素-血管紧张素系统、交感神经系统和其他气体信号分子（如硫化氢）等不同系统的相互作用也得到了很好的研究。然而，内源性大麻素（EC）和 NO 系统之间似乎存在的联系仍有待充分探索。使用其合成的调节剂（包括底物、NO 的供体和合成抑制剂）的实验方法将有助于确定心血管和肾脏系统中 NO 和 EC 系统之间的关系。作为一种强效的血管舒张剂，NO 在治疗高血压和由此产生的肾脏疾病和左心室肥厚的方法中可能是独特的。在临床实践中加入 NO 调节剂不仅可以作为特定疾病的治疗方法，还可以通过与其他系统的相互作用来阻止疾病的预后。
