Abu-Soud Husam M, Camp Olivia G, Ramadoss Jayanth, Chatzicharalampous Charalampos, Kofinas George, Kofinas Jason D
Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The C.S. Mott Center for Human Growth and Development, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, Michigan 48201, USA.
Department of Physiology, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
Int J Biol Sci. 2025 Jan 13;21(3):1097-1109. doi: 10.7150/ijbs.105016. eCollection 2025.
Nitric oxide (NO), originally discovered for its role in cardiovascular function, is a key molecule in physiological processes including metabolism, neurotransmission (including memory, learning, neuroprotection and synaptic plasticity), immunity, reproduction, and much more. NO can be synthesized by the catalytic activity of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS), which is found biologically in three isoforms, or nonenzymatically based on simple reduction of nitrate and nitrite or by the NO-donor S-nitrosothiol (R-SNO). Importantly, the deficiency of NO has been noted in a wide range of pathologies including cardiovascular disease, cancer, erectile dysfunction, male and female infertility, and mitochondrial disease. While there are several pathways that can lead to a reduction in the bioavailability of NO (i.e., consumption, inhibition, and substrate competition) it is the conclusion of the authors that multiple pathways co-exist in pathological states. This article outlines for the first time the major pathways of NO generation, the importance of NO in health, NO scavenging and enzyme inhibition, and the potential benefits of supplementation.
一氧化氮（NO）最初因其在心血管功能中的作用而被发现，是生理过程中的关键分子，这些生理过程包括新陈代谢、神经传递（包括记忆、学习、神经保护和突触可塑性）、免疫、生殖等等。NO可通过一氧化氮合酶（NOS）的催化活性合成，该酶在生物学上有三种同工型，也可通过基于硝酸盐和亚硝酸盐的简单还原或通过NO供体S-亚硝基硫醇（R-SNO）进行非酶合成。重要的是，在包括心血管疾病、癌症、勃起功能障碍、男性和女性不育以及线粒体疾病在内的多种病理状态中都发现了NO缺乏。虽然有几种途径可导致NO生物利用度降低（即消耗、抑制和底物竞争），但作者的结论是，在病理状态下多种途径并存。本文首次概述了NO生成的主要途径、NO在健康中的重要性、NO清除和酶抑制以及补充NO的潜在益处。
