Is nitric oxide a key target in the pathogenesis of brain lesions during the development of Alzheimer's disease?
Nitric oxide (NO) is a short-life key bioregulatory active molecule in the cardiovascular, immune and nervous systems. NO is synthesized by converting L-arginine to L-citrulline by enzymes called NO synthase (NOS). The growing body of evidence strongly supports the theory that this molecule appears to be one of the key targets for the disruption of normal brain homeostasis, which causes the development of brain lesions and pathology such as in Alzheimer's disease (AD) or other related dementia. The vascular content of NO activity appears especially to be a main contributor to this pathology before the over-expression of other NOS isoforms activity in a different brain cellular compartment. We speculate that pharmacological intervention using NO donors and/or NO suppressors will be able to delay or minimize the development of brain pathology and further progression of mental retardation.
Aliyev
Ali
A
Microscopy Research Center, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.
Seyidova
Dilara
D
Rzayev
Nizami
N
Obrenovich
Mark E
ME
Lamb
Bruce T
BT
Chen
Shu G
SG
Smith
Mark A
MA
Perry
George
G
de la Torre
Jack C
JC
Aliev
Gjumrakch
G
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015140:Dementia, Vascular / Q000150:complications / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D020030:Nitric Oxide Donors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase