Nitric Oxide Plays Role in the Endocrine System

In a 2007 review of the scientific literature, researchers determined that nitric oxide (NO) deficiency may represent a link between metabolic syndrome and overall cardiovascular health and that NO has a number of interactions with the endocrine system.

Evidence indicates that NO buffers the effects on blood pressure and renal health promoted by vasoactive hormones and other hormones related to blood pressure control and renal function, such as thyroid hormones, mineralocorticoids or insulin. This has clinical relevance because an excess of these hormones is associated with factors that are related to reduced NO production, such as those involving arterial health, blood sugar metabolism, and blood pressure. Also, the excess of these hormones in correlation with NO deficiency may aggravate the negative impact of the excess hormones.

The reviewers observed that experimental models of long-lasting inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in animals has resulted in imbalanced blood pressure. This animal model has proven to be a useful tool to study cardiovascular and renal effects produced by this type of imbalanced blood pressure, which are similar to those found in humans. It also offers a unique opportunity to study the interaction of NO with the humoral systems, which are known to be involved in the normal physiology of vascular tone and renal function.

The reviewers also noted that studying these humoral interactions indicates that NO is a molecule with ubiquitous function and that its inhibition alters virtually all other known regulatory systems.

Reference:

Vargas F, Moreno JM, Wangensteen R, Rodríguez-Gómez I, García-Estañ J. The endocrine system in chronic nitric oxide deficiency. Eur J Endocrinol. 2007 Jan;156(1):1-12.