Item Details

abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important cellular signaling molecule known mostly for its vasodilatative effects. Nitrate (NO3-) acts as an important NO source through reductive physiological pathways. Basal plasma NO3- levels are a sum of the oxidation of endogenous NO and ingested dietary NO3-. Approximately 25% of dietary NO3- is recovered by the salivary glands and concentrated up to 20-fold in saliva. Humans possess symbiotic NO3- reductase activity from the anaerobic bacteria (Actinomyces and Veillonella) species found in the tongue’s cleft. Preliminary genomic analyses of these species indicate the lack of nitrite (NO2-) reductase ortholog genes suggesting dissimilatory NO3- reduction. The goal of Aim 1 of this research was to investigate and fully characterize the reduction of dietary NO3- to reduced nitrogen oxides in the oral cavity.

subject

Dietary Nitrate

Nitrate

Nitric Oxide

Nitrite

Nitrogen Oxide

Saliva

contributor

Clodfelter, William Howard Craig (author)

King, Stephen B (committee chair)

Kim-Shapiro, Daniel (committee member)

Welker, Mark E (committee member)

DosSantos, Patricia (committee member)

Bierbach, Ulrich (committee member)

date

2015-08-25T08:35:36Z (accessioned)

2016-08-24T08:30:10Z (available)

2015 (issued)

degree

Chemistry (discipline)

embargo

2016-08-24 (terms)

identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/10339/57269 (uri)

language

en (iso)

publisher

Wake Forest University

title

Salivary Reduction of Dietary Nitrate

type

Dissertation