Jp. Bolanos et al., NITRIC OXIDE-MEDIATED MITOCHONDRIAL DAMAGE IN THE BRAIN - MECHANISMS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES, Journal of neurochemistry, 68(6), 1997, pp. 2227-2240
Within the CNS and under normal conditions, nitric oxide ((NO)-N-.) ap
pears to be an important physiological signalling molecule. Its abilit
y to increase cyclic GMP concentration suggests that (NO)-N-. is impli
cated in the regulation of important metabolic pathways in the brain.
Under certain circumstances (NO)-N-. synthesis may be excessive and (N
O)-N-. may become neurotoxic. Excessive glutamate-receptor stimulation
may lead to neuronal death through a mechanism implicating synthesis
of both (NO)-N-. and superoxide (O-2(.)-) and hence peroxynitrite (ONO
O-) formation. In response to lipopolysaccharide and cytokines, glial
cells may also be induced to synthesize large amounts of (NO)-N-., whi
ch may be deleterious to the neighbouring neurones and oligodendrocyte
s. The precise mechanism of (NO)-N-. neurotoxicity is not fully unders
tood. One possibility is that it may involve neuronal energy deficienc
y. This may occur by ONOO- interfering with key enzymes of the tricarb
oxylic acid cycle, the mitochondrial respiratory chain, mitochondrial
calcium metabolism, or DNA damage with subsequent activation: of the e
nergy-consuming pathway involving poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase. Possibl
e mechanisms whereby ONOO- impairs the mitochondrial respiratory chain
and the relevance for neurotoxicity are discussed. The intracellular
content of reduced glutathione also appears important in determining t
he sensitivity of cells to ONOO- production. It is concluded that neur
otoxicity elicited by excessive (NO)-N-. production may be mediated by
mitochondrial dysfunction leading to an energy deficiency state.