Regulatory effects of S-nitrosylation on cell functions

Increasing evidence indicates that the transfer of a nitric oxide group to cysteine sulfhydryls on proteins,known as S-nitrosylation,is recognized as a ubiquitous regulatory reaction comparable to phosphorylation.A number of proteins have been found to undergo S-nitrosylation in vivo.These proteins are called S-nitrosothiols,and may play an important role in many cellular physiological and pathophysiological processes ranging from signal transduction,apoptosis to inflammation.This review focuses on the regulatory effects of S-nitrosylation on cell functions.