Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous chemical transmitter that is produced from the amino acid L-arginine by the members of the NO synthase (NOS) family of proteins. NO is involved in several important functions in the CNS and peripheral nervous system (PNS), including modulation of neurotransmission and regulation of local blood flow and immune responses. NO interacts with intracellular targets to trigger several signal transduction pathways. In the CNS, NO participates in synaptic modulation and plasticity, control of sleep, body temperature, and neurosecretion. In the PNS, NO mediates vasodilation and relaxation of the visceral smooth muscle. However, when produced in excess and in the setting of oxidative stress, NO becomes toxic, leading to formation of reactive nitrogen species (RNS), which cause cellular damage. These neurotoxic effects of NO derivatives may be involved in the pathogenesis of cerebral ischemia, inflammation, neoplasia, and neurodegenerative disorders. There are several comprehensive reviews on the physiologic and pathophysiologic roles of NO in the nervous system. 1-12
NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASES Catalytic activity.The NOS family of enzymes catalyzes the oxidation of L-arginine to form L-citrulline and NO (figure 1). NOS is a dimeric enzyme; each monomer is composed of 2 distinct catalytic domains, an amino (NH2)-terminal oxygenase domain and a carboxy (COOH)-terminal reductase domain. The oxygenase domain is the binding site for heme, oxygen (O 2 ), tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), and L-arginine; the reductase domain binds flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), flavin mononucleotide (FMN), and reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The catalytic mechanism involves flavin-mediated electron transport from NADPH to the heme center, where O 2 is reduced and incorporated into the guanidine nitrogen of L-arginine, producing NO and L-citrulline.