The Role of Protein S-Nitrosylationin Alzheimer’s Disease and its Treatment

As a post-transcriptional modification, S-nitrosylation is a covalent binding of nitric oxide to cysteine thiols in proteins to form S-nitrosothiols. Nitric oxide is recognized as an important signaling molecule, and has recently been shown to reversibly nitrosylated proteins. Emerging evidence demonstrates that in Alzheimer's disease, aberrant S-nitrosylation of proteins may exert an effect on mitochondrial fission, Aβ production and synaptic damage, which may directly or indirectly contribute to Alzheimer's disease pathology. In this paper, we review recent findings of an S-nitrosylated protein relationship to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease; discuss the influences of protein S-nitrosylation on Alzheimer's disease progression; and consider indications for protein S-nitrosylation in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.