Plasma nitrate as an index of immune system activation in animals and man

The cytotoxic activity of activated macrophages is based upon their formation and release of nitric oxide (NO). In blood NO is rapidly metabolised to nitrate. We analysed plasma nitrate in rats given zymosan, an activator of the immune system, and found 20-fold increases above the basal level. Furth...

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Published inJournal of clinical & laboratory immunology Vol. 40; no. 1; p. 1
Main Authors Jungersten, L, Edlund, A, Hafström, L O, Karlsson, L, Petersson, A S, Wennmalm, A
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Scotland 1993
Subjects
Acute Disease
Animals
C-Reactive Protein - analysis
Enzyme Precursors - pharmacology
Female
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
Gastroenteritis - blood
Gastroenteritis - immunology
Humans
Macrophage Activation
Male
Nitrates - blood
Rats
Rats, Wistar
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Summary:The cytotoxic activity of activated macrophages is based upon their formation and release of nitric oxide (NO). In blood NO is rapidly metabolised to nitrate. We analysed plasma nitrate in rats given zymosan, an activator of the immune system, and found 20-fold increases above the basal level. Furthermore, in two human subjects with acute gastro-enteritis plasma nitrate increased from about 30 to 200 microM two days after onset of symptoms. These increased plasma levels of nitrate may reflect macrophage formation of NO. We propose that plasma nitrate may be a useful index for quantitative assessment of cytotoxic activity during immunological challenge.
ISSN:0141-2760