Figure 7.

Synthesis of nitric oxide and transduction cascades. Neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) is activated by a calcium-dependant calmodulin. NOS produces nitric oxide (NO) upon oxidation of arginine into citrulline. NO diffuses and act on presynaptic or postsynaptic targets. A well-known pathway of NO is through the activation of guanylyl cyclase (GC) that activates a protein kinase G (PKG) leading to Erk activation and the stabilization of TORC1 a CREB co-activator. CAT, cation and anion transporter; PL. M, plasma membrane. Adapted from Gallo and Iadecola (2011).