Therapeutic potential of carbon monoxide in multiple sclerosis

Clin Exp Immunol. 2012 Feb;167(2):179-87. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2011.04491.x.

Abstract

Carbon monoxide (CO) is produced during the catabolism of free haem, catalyzed by haem oxygenase (HO) enzymes, and its physiological roles include vasodilation, neurotransmission, inhibition of platelet aggregation and anti-proliferative effects on smooth muscle. In vivo preclinical studies have shown that exogenously administered quantities of CO may represent an effective treatment for conditions characterized by a dysregulated immune response. The carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CORMs) represent a group of compounds capable of carrying and liberating controlled quantities of CO in the cellular systems. This review covers the physiological and anti-inflammatory properties of the HO/CO pathway in the central nervous system. It also discusses the effects of CORMs in preclinical models of inflammation. The accumulating data discussed herein support the possibility that CORMs may represent a novel class of drugs with disease-modifying properties in multiple sclerosis.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Autoimmunity / drug effects
  • Boranes / administration & dosage
  • Boranes / therapeutic use*
  • Carbon Monoxide / administration & dosage
  • Carbon Monoxide / metabolism
  • Carbon Monoxide / therapeutic use*
  • Carbonates / administration & dosage
  • Carbonates / therapeutic use*
  • Cardiotonic Agents / administration & dosage
  • Cardiotonic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Cytokines / biosynthesis
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / drug therapy
  • Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / immunology
  • Guanylate Cyclase / metabolism
  • Heme / metabolism
  • Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / physiology
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / deficiency
  • Heme Oxygenase-1 / physiology
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Multiple Sclerosis / drug therapy*
  • Multiple Sclerosis / immunology
  • Neuroimmunomodulation / drug effects
  • Neuroimmunomodulation / physiology
  • Organometallic Compounds / administration & dosage
  • Organometallic Compounds / therapeutic use*
  • Oxidation-Reduction
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase
  • Vasodilator Agents / administration & dosage
  • Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Boranes
  • Carbonates
  • Cardiotonic Agents
  • Cytokines
  • Organometallic Compounds
  • Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear
  • Vasodilator Agents
  • sodium boranocarbonate
  • tricarbonylchloro(glycinato)ruthenium(II)
  • tricarbonyldichlororuthenium (II) dimer
  • Heme
  • Carbon Monoxide
  • HMOX1 protein, human
  • Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)
  • Heme Oxygenase-1
  • heme oxygenase-2
  • Guanylate Cyclase
  • Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase