title: Xanthine oxidoreductase in atherosclerosis pathogenesis: not only oxidative stress.
abstract: Endothelial xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) together with NAD(P)H oxidase and nitric oxide (NO) synthase plays a physiologic role in inflammatory signalling, the regulation of NO production and vascular function. The oxidative stress generated by these enzymes may induce endothelial dysfunction, leading to atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndrome. XOR activity creates both oxidant and anti-oxidant products that are implicated in the development of hypertension, smoking vascular injury, dyslipidemia and diabetes, which are the main risk factors of atherosclerosis. In particular, uric acid may have a protective as well as a detrimental role in vascular alterations, thus justifying the multi-directional effects of XOR inhibition. Moreover, XOR products are associated with cell differentiation, leading to adipogenesis and foam cell formation, as well as to the production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 from arterial smooth muscle cells, after proliferation and migration. The role of XOR in adipogenesis is also connected with insulin resistance and obesity, two main features of type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine - DIMES, General Pathology Unit, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: mariagiulia.battelli@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Maria Giulia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Battelli
authors.affiliation: Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine - DIMES, General Pathology Unit, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: letizia.polito@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Letizia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Polito
authors.affiliation: Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna, Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine - DIMES, General Pathology Unit, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126 Bologna, Italy. Electronic address: andrea.bolognesi@unibo.it.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bolognesi
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000201:enzymology*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000201:enzymology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000201:enzymology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000473:pathology; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000201:enzymology; D051379:Mice; D009765:Obesity / Q000201:enzymology; D016877:Oxidants / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood; D014968:Xanthine Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D016877:Oxidants; D014527:Uric Acid; D014968:Xanthine Dehydrogenase
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Cardiovascular diseases; Metabolic syndrome; Oxidative stress; Uric acid; Xanthine oxidoreductase