The Role of Nitric Oxide on Endothelial Function
Abstract
The vascular endothelium is a monolayer of cells between the vessel lumen and the vascular smooth muscle cells. Nitric oxide (NO) is a soluble gas continuously synthesized from the amino acid L-arginine in endothelial cells by the constitutive calcium-calmodulin-dependent enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS). This substance has a wide range of biological properties that maintain vascular homeostasis, including modulation of vascular dilator tone, regulation of local cell growth, and protection of the vessel from injurious consequences of platelets and cells circulating in blood, playing in this way a crucial role in the normal endothelial function. A growing list of conditions, including those commonly associated as risk factors for atherosclerosis such as hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, diabetes mellitus and heart failure are associated with diminished release of nitric oxide into the arterial wall either because of impaired synthesis or excessive oxidative degradation. The decreased production of NO in these pathological states causes serious problems in endothelial equilibrium and that is the reason why numerous therapies have been investigated to assess the possibility of reversing endothelial dysfunction by enhancing the release of nitric oxide from the endothelium. In the present review we will discuss the important role of nitric oxide in physiological endothelium and we will pinpoint the significance of this molecule in pathological states altering the endothelial function.
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“This decrease can also elevate the risk of blood clot formation and inflammation within the blood vessels [41].”
- Authors
- Tousoulis, D., Kampoli, A.-M., Tentolouris Nikolaos Papageorgiou, C., & Stefanadis, C.
- Affiliations
- Hippocration General Hospital (GR)
- National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (GR)
- Corresponding author
- Stefanadis, Christodoulos
- Venue
- Current Vascular Pharmacology
- Publisher
- Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
- Published
- 2012-01-01
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 4-18
- ISSN
- 1570-1611 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2165753570
- Cited by
- 1,012
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 46 · 2025: 90 · 2024: 85 · 2023: 89 · 2022: 114 · 2021: 127 · 2020: 83 · 2019: 71 · 2018: 69 · 2017: 52 · 2016: 48 · 2015: 59 · 2014: 50 · 2013: 21 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 17.23
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Vascular Pharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Disease Prevention
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Eicosanoids and Hypertension Pharmacology
- Keywords
- nitric oxide, endothelial function, nitric oxide synthase, L-arginine, vascular homeostasis, endothelial dysfunction, atherosclerosis risk factors, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, vasodilation
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Endothelium, Vascular, Humans, Nitric Oxide, Vasodilation, Atherosclerosis
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