title: Reviewing the use of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CO-RMs) in biology: implications in endotoxin-mediated vascular dysfunction.
abstract: The inducible stress protein heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been linked to tissue and organ protection against the deleterious actions of many pathological conditions, including endotoxin challenge. Similar protection can be achieved by the main products of heme oxygenase activity, namely bilirubin and carbon monoxide (CO). Since the identification of novel chemical compounds that liberate CO in biological systems (CO-releasing molecules or CO-RMs), our group and others have had access to a convenient and simple pharmacological tool that enables to study the role of CO in physiological functions. This article will review the scientific literature published to date on CO-RMs, with emphasis on the in vitro, ex vivo and in vivo experimental models employed to determine the contribution of CO to cellular mechanisms. In addition, we will report on the effect of heme oxygenase-related substances, such as bilirubin, CORM-3 and hemin, in a model of endotoxin-induced hypotension. Among the three different approaches examined, CORM-3 proved the most effective agent in reducing the fall in blood pressure caused by endotoxin. Furthermore, heme oxygenase-related substances affected the endotoxin-stimulated induction and distribution of hepatic HO-1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Thus, it emerges that CO-RMs could exert important biological actions in the context of endotoxic-mediated dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Research, Northwick Park Institute for Medical Research, Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 3UJ, United Kingdom. r.foresti@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Foresti
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shurey
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ansari
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sibbons
authors.forename: B E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Motterlini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000235:genetics; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics; D007022:Hypotension / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D004731:Endotoxins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D002248:Carbon Monoxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1