Role of Oxidative Stress and Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Sepsis and Potential Therapies

Table 2

Summary of NO effects in sepsis.

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Positive effects of NO

 Preventive of cardiac contractility in low concentrations

 Mitochondrial proliferation

 Scavenger of oxygen free radicals

 Inhibition of oxygen free radical production

 Low pulmonary vascular tone

Negative effects of NO

 Vasodilation/hyporeactivity to vasopressors

 Negative inotropic effect in high concentrations

 Inhibition of mitochondrial respiration

 Protein nitration/nitrosylation

 Methemoglobinemia

 Activation of NF-kB

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NO: nitric oxide; NF-kB: nuclear factor kB.