Effects of chronic treatment with sodium nitrite on the concentration of its metabolites in different tissues.

• Grant number: 22/04082-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: October 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - General Pharmacology
• Principal Investigator: Jose Eduardo Tanus dos Santos
• Grantee: Ana Karoline Lima da Silva
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto (FMRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Nitric Oxide and its metabolites the anions Nitrite (NO2-), Nitrate (NO3-), and Nitrosylated Species play a very important role in controlling the physiological maintenance of the endothelium, because NO contributes to the regulation of the cardiovascular system, such as vasodilation. The formation of NO occurs either through the activity of the enzyme nitric oxide synthase (NOS) or through a pathway independent of this enzyme, the nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway, particularly from nitrate and nitrite from dietary sources. Previous studies have shown that acute oral administration of sodium nitrite leads to an increase in the concentration of these metabolites in various tissues, which may explain much of its effects as a therapeutic and preventive agent for various chronic cardiovascular diseases. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of accumulation of NO-related species such as nitrite, nitrate, nitrosylated species, nitrosothiols, in different organs and tissues, by chronic treatment with sodium nitrite at different intervention periods of 7 or 14 days, because there is no study available that has examined the changes in concentrations of these NO metabolites in different tissues after oral nitrite treatment.