Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are a family of isoforms responsible for the synthesis of the potent dilator nitric oxide (NO). Expression of inducible NOS (iNOS) occurs in conditions of inflammation, and produces large amounts of NO. In pathological conditions iNOS is regarded as a harmful enzyme and is proposed to be a major contributor to diseases of the cardiovascular system such as atherosclerosis. In this review, we address the notion that iNOS is a detrimental enzyme in disease and discuss its potentially beneficial roles. Additionally, we describe other molecules associated with iNOS in diseases such as atherosclerosis, and current research on therapeutic inhibitors tested to reduced pathology associated with cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

1st Department of Internal Medicine Faculty of Medicine Comenius University and University Hospital Bratislava Slovakia

Centre for Chronic Disease College of Health and Biomedicine Victoria University Melbourne Victoria Australia

Department of Chemical Drugs Faculty of Pharmacy University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno Czech Republic; 2nd Department of Surgery Centre of Vascular Diseases Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University and St Anne´s Faculty Hospital Brno Czech Republic

Faculty of Medicine University of Oviedo Central University Hospital of Asturias Oviedo Spain

Institute of Histology and Embryology Faculty of Medicine University of Ljubljana Ljubljana Slovenia

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