Table 7.

The positive effects of eNOS and eNO

• Promotes vasodilatation of vascular smooth muscle.

• Counteracts smooth muscle cell proliferation.

• Decreases platelet adhesiveness.

• Decreases adhesiveness of the endothelial layer to monocytic WBCs (the "teflon effect").

• Anti-inflammatory effect.

• Anti-oxidant effect. It scavenges reactive oxygen species locally, and acts as a chain-breaking antioxidant to scavenge ROS.

• Anti-fibrotic effect. When NO is normal or elevated, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are quiescent; conversely if NO is low, MMPs are elevated and active. MMPs are redox sensitive.

• NO inhibits prooxidant actions of uric acid during copper-mediated LDL oxidation.

• NO has diverse anti-atherosclerotic actions on the arterial vessel wall including antioxidant effects by direct scavenging of ROS – reactive nitrogen species RNS.