On the mechanism of nitric oxide formation upon oxidative cleavage of C = N(OH) bonds by NO-synthases and cytochromes P450

Abstract

Microsomal liver cytochromes P450 catalyze the oxidative cleavage of the C = NOH bond of many ketoximes, amidoximes and guanidoximes, and NO synthases catalyze the oxidation of N omega-hydroxy-L-arginine to citrulline and NO. All these oxidations appear to be performed either by the FE(II) O2 complex of these hemoproteins or by O2.- which is formed by its decomposition. This leads to a unifying view of the mechanisms of P450- and NOS-dependent oxidative cleavage of C = NOH bonds, the relative contribution of Fe(II) O2.- being very different in NO-synthase and cytochromes P450.