Photocontrol of NO, H2S, and HNO Release in Biological Systems by Using Specific Caged Compounds

Nitric oxide (NO) is a gas that plays various roles in physiological signal transduction, for example, in vasodilation, neural transmission, and biodefence. Recently, other gaseous signal mediators such as carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) have also been found to have important biological activities. Since experimental studies with gaseous mediators are difficult, chemicals that enable controlled release of these gases are indispensable. We have developed a range of photocontrollable releasers that generate NO, H2S, and related species with fine spatiotemporal control, and we have also employed these caged compounds in various applications. This paper briefly reviews our work on photocontrollable NO, H2S, and HNO releasers, and presents some typical applications illustrating the suitability of our compounds for controlled release of these biologically active species in cellular and tissue systems. These compounds also appear to have potential for future therapeutic applications.