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Xanthine oxidoreductase catalyses the reduction of nitrates and nitrite to nitric oxide under hypoxic conditions
Author(s) -
Millar Timothy M,
Stevens Cliff R,
Benjamin Nigel,
Eisenthal Robert,
Harrison Roger,
Blake David R
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/s0014-5793(98)00430-x
Subject(s) - nitric oxide , chemistry , nitrite , nitrate , xanthine oxidase , xanthine , nitric oxide synthase , biochemistry , oxidoreductase , pharmacology , inorganic chemistry , enzyme , organic chemistry , medicine
Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) catalyses the reduction of the therapeutic organic nitrate, nitroglycerin (glyceryl trinitrate, GTN), as well as inorganic nitrate and nitrite, to nitric oxide (NO) under hypoxic conditions in the presence of NADH. Generation of nitric oxide is not detectable under normoxic conditions and is inhibited by the molybdenum site‐specific inhibitors, oxypurinol and (−)BOF 4272. These enzymic reactions provide a mechanism for generation of NO under hypoxic conditions where nitric oxide synthase does not function, suggesting a vasodilatory role in ischaemia.