Question:

Nitric oxide acts by increasing:

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NO stimulates guanylate cyclase to make which messenger?
Updated On: Jun 24, 2026
  • BRCA 1
  • BRCA 2
  • Interleukin
  • cGMP
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Nitric oxide (NO) is released from endothelium and diffuses to the surrounding vascular smooth muscle cells.

Step 2: In the smooth muscle, NO activates guanylate cyclase, which increases cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), a cyclic nucleotide derived from GTP. So option 4 is correct.

Step 3: cGMP acts as a second messenger, much like cyclic AMP, activating intracellular protein kinases that cause smooth muscle relaxation and vasodilation.

Step 4: BRCA1 and BRCA2 are tumor-suppressor genes and interleukins are cytokines; none of them is the second messenger of NO, so options 1, 2, and 3 are wrong.
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