Roles of Nitric Oxide and Asymmetric Dimethylarginine in Pregnancy and Fetal Programming

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Li-Tung Huang³  Chih-Sung Hsieh¹  Kow-Aung Chang² 

[1] Department of Pediatric Surgery, Pingtung Christian Hospital, Pingtung 900, Taiwan; E-Mail:;Department of Anesthesiology, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 800, Taiwan; E-Mail:;Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung 800, Taiwan; E-Mail:

关键词: asymmetric dimethylarginine;    Nitric oxide;    nitrergic;    fetal programming;    placenta;   

DOI  :  10.3390/ijms131114606

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Nitric oxide (NO) regulates placental blood flow and actively participates in trophoblast invasion and placental development. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) can inhibit NO synthase, which generates NO. ADMA has been associated with uterine artery flow disturbances such as preeclampsia. Substantial experimental evidence has reliably supported the hypothesis that an adverse in utero environment plays a role in postnatal physiological and pathophysiological programming. Growing evidence suggests that the placental nitrergic system is involved in epigenetic fetal programming. In this review, we discuss the roles of NO and ADMA in normal and compromised pregnancies as well as the link between placental insufficiency and epigenetic fetal programming.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2012 by the authors; licensee Molecular Diversity Preservation International, Basel, Switzerland.