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Nitrate-Reducing Oral Bacteria: Linking Oral and Systemic Health

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Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

There is now an established role for oral nitrate-reducing bacteria in the maintenance of endogenous nitric oxide production in humans. Inorganic nitrate, primarily from green leafy vegetables, is taken up in the proximal gut and concentrated in salivary glands. Upon salivation, nitrate is reduced by specific and selective nitrate-reducing bacteria to nitrite. Nitrite-enriched saliva when swallowed generates nitric oxide gas in the lumen of the stomach due to acid disproportionation of nitrite. This nitrate–nitrite–nitric oxide pathway is a redundant NO-generating system that can, perhaps, compensate for loss of enzymatic NO production from NOS. This chapter will highlight the importance of oral bacteria in this pathway and future therapeutic strategies aimed at repleting NO production.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM225, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Nathan S. Bryan Ph.D.

  2. Virolology & Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, BCM225, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Joseph F. Petrosino Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Nathan S. Bryan Ph.D.
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  2. Joseph F. Petrosino Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Nathan S. Bryan Ph.D. .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA

    Nathan S. Bryan

  2. Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Joseph Loscalzo

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Bryan, N.S., Petrosino, J.F. (2017). Nitrate-Reducing Oral Bacteria: Linking Oral and Systemic Health. In: Bryan, N., Loscalzo, J. (eds) Nitrite and Nitrate in Human Health and Disease. Nutrition and Health. Humana Press, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46189-2_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-46189-2_3

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