NITRIC OXIDE, THE POTFNT IAL IMPORTANCE IN THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF SOME BENIGN AND MALIGNANT DERMATOSES

Abstract

NO, a simple and relatively unstable radical under aerobic conditions, has been identified as a potent and pleiotropic mediator. It is synthesized from L-Arg, by an enzyme family , NOSs, consisting of three isoforms, eNOS, nNOS, and iNOS. NO is produced by a variety of human and animal cells and is involved in a broad array of physiological and pathophysiological activities including vasodilation, antimicrobial and atitumour activities, immunoregulation and activities in which it functions as neurotransmitter, thus it has managed to capture the interest of scientists, from a number of fields and hold stage attention. Interest in NO among dermatologists has been show to appear and the literature on NO with the respect to the skin is sparse when compared with the steep escalation in the number of articles published generally on NO since 1987. Therefore the aim of this study is to ascertain if there is a potential role for NO in the pathophysiology of some benign (Ps and LP) and malignant (BCCs and MF) dermatoses.