Nitric oxide, S-nitrosylation and neurodegeneration

Nitric oxide is a critically important signaling molecule, controlling a wide range of pathways and biological processes. Highly reactive nitric oxide mediates its function through reaction with different molecules directly or indirectly. One of these modifications is the S-nitrosylation of cysteine residues in proteins. S-nitrosylation is emerging as an important redox signaling mechanism and has been found to regulate a broad range of biologic, physiologic and cellular functions. One of the major findings in this area recently is the linkage of nitrosative stress to various neurodegenerative disorders. Oxidative stress has long been regarded as a prime mediator in the development of neurodegeneration as various indices of oxidative stress are readily observed in postmortem studies. A causative role for nitrosative stress in neurodegeneration is just now being appreciated. The direct connection of S-nitrosylation to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease in recent studies further provide insights into how imbalance in nitric oxide metabolism can contribute to the development of selective injury and disease.