The role of glutathione in the transport and catabolism of nitric oxide

Nitric oxide acts as a neuronal and vascular messenger implying diffusion through intracellular environments containing 5-10 mM glutathione. Nitric oxide reacts with glutathione under aerobic conditions generating S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO). GSNO reacts with glutathione (k = 8.3 x 10^-3 M^-1 · s^-1) to generate nitrous oxide and glutathione disulfide (GSSG), Anaerobically, glutathione reacts with nitric oxide generating nitrous oxide and GSSG (k = 4.8 x 10^-4 s^-1 at 5 mM GSH). In both aerobic and anaerobic situations the nitroxyl anion may be an intermediate in the synthesis of nitrous oxide and, under aerobic conditions, nitroxyl anion may generate peroxynitrite. We present a hypothesis for the intracellular interaction between nitric oxide and glutathione.