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Inos Synthesis

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Nitric oxide (NO) is heavily involved in biochemical signaling and regulation in humans. This multi-functional molecule is synthesized by nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) from L-arginine (Figure 1)4. Three NOS isoforms exist in humans: neuronal NOS (nNOS), endothelial NOS (eNOS), and inducible NOS (iNOS). Of the three, the most relevant to this paper is nNOS, which regulates biochemical networks in the nervous system and skeletal muscles. The other two, eNOS and iNOS, serve as signaling and regulatory molecules in the circulatory system and immune system, respectively. However, in instances of NO overproduction, the body can be severely harmed. One example of detrimental NO overproduction exists in in the aftermath of traumatic brain injury. …show more content…

(2010) and Poulos & Li (2013), is N1-[(3’S, 4’S)-4’-((6”-amino-4”-methylpyridin-2”-yl)methyl-pyrroldin-3’-yl]-N2-(3’-flurophenethyl) ethane-1,2-diamine tetrahydrochloride, or (3’S, 4’S) (Figure 2). Put simply, this compound is composed of an aminopyridine head, pyrroldine bridge group, and tail. The primary function of the aminopyridine head is to mimic the guanidinium group of L-arginine and bind to Glu592 in the nNOS isoform. In addition, the fluorophenyl group extends out of the active site and further stabilized by amino acids unique to nNOS structure. This action competitively inhibits nNOS function, significantly decreasing NO …show more content…

It has generally been found that arginine-based inhibitors, such as (3’S, 4’S), have the most associated disadvantages when compared to other types of inhibitors. These disadvantages include a lower specificity to a specific NOS isoform, high basicity, polarity, and hydrogen-bonding potential. The latter three factors decrease the arginine-based inhibitor’s ability to function in specific parts of the body, such as in the brain3. Currently, the most promising inhibitor types are a simple aminopyridine structures. These structures are similar to arginine-based inhibitors in that they amino-acid based; however, these molecules have been modified with groups that increase selectivity and binding affinity to a specific NOS isoform, and hindering groups have been removed3. Research has also been performed to investigate inhibitors for other regions of an NOS isoform, including H4B antagonists and calmodulin

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