Genes neuronal nitric-oxide synthases

The body has three different tissue-specific isoforms of NO synthase, each encoded by a different gene neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS, isoform I), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS, isoform II), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, isoform III). nNOS and eNOS are tightly regulated by Ca concentration to produce the small amounts of NO required for its role as a neurotransmitter and hormone. In contrast, iNOS is present in many cells of the immune system and cell types with a similar lineage, such as macrophages and... 

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Kumagai Y, Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) catalyzes one-electron reduction of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene, resulting in decreased nitric oxide production and increased nNOS gene expression Implication for oxidative stress, Free Radio. Biol. Med., 37, 350, 2004. 

FIGURE 3 Scheme of alternative promoter usage for human neuronal nitric oxide synthase. Different examples of exon (Ex) 1, each regulated by a distinct promoter/enhancer, are alternatively used in a tissue-specific fashion. These are spliced to a common exon 2. Thus, one gene produces many mRNA molecules, but only one protein product. 

Xie, J., Roddy, P., Rife, T., Murad, F., and Young, A. P. (1995). Two closely linked but separable promoters for human neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene transcription. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 92, 1242-1246. 

Transcription of the Human Neuronal Nitric Oxide Synthase Gene in the Central Nervous System Is Mediated by Multiple Promoters ... 

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Wang, Y, Newton, D.C., Miller, T.L., Teichert, A.M., Phillips, M.J., Davidoff, M.S., and Marsden, P.A. (2002). An alternative promoter of the human neuronal nitric oxide synthase gene is expressed specihcally in Leydig cells. Am. J. Pathol. 160, 369-380. 

Chen L, Majde JA, Krueger JM. Spontaneous sleep in mice with targeted disruptions of neuronal or inducible nitric oxide synthase genes. Submitted. 

Kifle Y, Monnier J, Chesrown SE, Raizada MK, Nick HS (1996) Regulation of the manganese superoxide dismutase and inducible nitric oxide synthase gene in rat neuronal and gUal cells. 

The enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS), that produces NO and citrullin from arginine, occurs as several isoenzymes (Knowles et al., 1989). Type I NOS is a constitutive, calcium and calmodulin-dependent enzyme, present in neurons and, possibly, in glia. Type II NOS is calcium-independent and can be induced in macrophages and glial cells by exposure to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (Galea et al., 1992 Murphy et al., 1993). Type III NOS is the endothelial iso-enzyme. NOS-I, II and III are produced by diflferent genes (Bredt et al., 1991 Lamas et al., 1992 Xie et al., 1992 Lowenstein et al., 1992 Lyons et al. 1992 Ogura et al., 1993). NOS displays NADPH-dependent diaphorase... 

ABSTRACT In mammals, nitric oxide (NO) is a reactive free radical involved in diverse physiological functions. NO and its redox-related forms NO+ and NO react with di(oxygen) and its derivatives, with metalloproteins and thiol-containing proteins. NO-mediated nitrosation of proteins represents an important cellular regulatory mechanism. Biosynthesis of NO is catalysed by nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Three isoenzymes representing distinct gene products have been identified the inducible NOS isoform, the constitutive neuronal and endothelial isoforms. Inducible and constitutive NOSs have the same structural features, but their activities differ in their dependence to calcium and the rate of NO produced. The principal NO-mediated functions in mammals are endothelium-dependent relaxation, neurotransmission and immune response. The role of NO in the antitumor immune response comprises both regulatory and effector functions at the intra- or inter-cellular level. The first function includes inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation or participation in different transduction pathways. The second fiinction includes pro- or anti-tumoral effects and NO-mediated cell toxicity or cell resistance to apoptosis. 

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