title: Reduced levels of S-nitrosothiols in plasma of patients with systemic sclerosis and Raynaud's phenomenon.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  S-Nitrosothiols (RSNOs) are bioactive forms of nitric oxide which are involved in cell signalling and redox regulation of vascular function. Circulating S-nitrosothiols are predominantly in the form of S-nitrosoalbumin. In this study plasma concentrations of S-nitrosothiols were measured in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) where NO metabolism is known to be abnormal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Venous blood was collected from 16 patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), 45 with systemic sclerosis (SSc) (34 patients had limited SSc (IcSSc) and 11 diffuse cutaneous disease (dcSSc)). Twenty six healthy subjects were used as controls. Plasma S-nitrosothiol concentrations were measured by chemiluminescence. The measurements were related to the extent of biological age, capillary/skin scores and disease duration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma RSNO levels in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) and in those with SSc was significantly lower compared to the concentrations in control subjects. In SSc, plasma S-nitrosothiols were often below the level of detection (1nM).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low S-nitrosothiol concentrations were observed in the blood of patients with SSc and patients with RP indicating a profound disturbance of nitric oxide metabolism.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, London NW3 2PF, UK. Electronic address: Devi.Kundu@ucl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Devi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kundu
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, London NW3 2PF, UK.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abraham
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, London NW3 2PF, UK.
authors.forename: Carol M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Black
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, London NW3 2PF, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Denton
authors.affiliation: Centre for Rheumatology and Connective Tissue Diseases, UCL Medical School, London NW3 2PF, UK.
authors.forename: K Richard
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Bruckdorfer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D011928:Raynaud Disease / Q000097:blood*; D026403:S-Nitrosothiols / Q000097:blood*; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D026403:S-Nitrosothiols; D009569:Nitric Oxide
keywords: Acetic acid (PubChem: ClD:176); Copper sulphate (PubChem: ClD 24462); Dithiothreitol (PubChem: ClD 19001); Ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (Pub Chem ClD 6049); N-ethylmaleimide (PubChem ClD:4362); Nitric oxide (PubChem: ClD: 145068); Potassium iodide (PubChem ClD: 4875); S-nitrosothiols; Skin score; Sulfanilamide (PubChem: ClD 5333); Systemic sclerosis