Enteric Neuropathy: NO, SNO in AGEs

ABSTRACT

Enteric neuropathy is emerging as a central theme in a range of digestive tract pathologies. Aberrant nitric oxide (NO) signaling by cellular components of the enteric nervous system or by inappropriate processing of dietary nitrite represents potential disease factors in delayed gastric emptying, diabetic gastroparesis, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, and in inflammatory barrier dysfunction of the gut. Exploiting the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) system to generate NO as a form of treatment is considered an option in these clinical disorders. Here we review the transcriptional regulation of nNOS activity and its pathophysiological role in the digestive tract. We also highlight potentially novel therapeutic strategies that exploit nNOS-derived S-nitrosothiols (SNO) and advanced glycation end products (AGEs).

Keywords:

Enteric neuropathy, nNOS, S-nitrosothiol, advanced glycation end product, gastric emptying, diabetic gastroparesis, hypertrophic pyloric stenosis, inflammatory barrier dysfunction.