Selectivity in Physiological Action of Nitric Oxide: A Hypothetical Mechanism

The study showed that dinitrosyl iron complex (NO)2Fe(RS)2 containing the thiolate ligands, which is the basic physiological donor of NO, can transfer NO to other molecule only at the moment of rearrangement. This rearrangement can occur during interaction of the complex with more effective iron chelators than the thiolate ligands. In the absence of NO trap, a new complex is formed with a new ligand. NO transfer to a trap can also occur under the action of the agents such as mercury salts or ROS, which interact with the thiolate ligands. Probably, the ligands in the dinitrosyl iron complexes are the structures responsible for interaction of these complexes with physiological targets and for specificity and effectiveness of this interaction.