title: Nitric oxide and muscle repair: multiple actions converging on therapeutic efficacy.
abstract: Muscular dystrophies comprise an heterogeneous group of diseases characterised by primary wasting of skeletal muscle, in the most severe forms leading to progressive paralysis and death. Current therapies for these conditions are extremely limited and based on corticosteroids that bear significant side effects. Several studies have proposed possible alternative strategies, ranging from cell and gene therapy to more classical pharmacological approaches. Nitric oxide is a gaseous messenger involved in many mechanisms responsible for preserving muscle function and stimulating muscle repair. We herein review the most recent pre-clinical and clinical findings that open new prospective for the development of nitric oxide as a therapeutic tool for muscular dystrophies.
authors.affiliation: Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, San Raffaele University and Scientific Institute, 20132 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rovere-Querini
authors.affiliation: Scientific Institute IRCCS Eugenio Medea, 23842 Bosisio Parini, Italy; Unit of Clinical Pharmacology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences L. Sacco, University Hospital "Luigi Sacco", Università di Milano, 20157 Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clementi
authors.affiliation: Division of Regenerative Medicine, Stem Cells and Gene Therapy, San Raffaele University and Scientific Institute, 20132 Milano, Italy; Department of Health Sciences, Milano-Bicocca University, 20900 Monza, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.brunelli@unimib.it.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brunelli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009136:Muscular Dystrophies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D032496:Satellite Cells, Skeletal Muscle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Macrophages; Muscle dystrophy; Nitric oxide; Satellite cells