TY - JOUR
T1 - Boosting nitric oxide in stress and respiratory infection
T2 - Potential relevance for asthma and COVID-19
AU - Ritz, Thomas
AU - Salsman, Margot L.
AU - Young, Danielle A.
AU - Lippert, Alexander R.
AU - Khan, Dave A.
AU - Ginty, Annie T.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous signaling molecule that is critical for supporting a plethora of processes in biological organisms. Among these, its role in the innate immune system as a first line of defense against pathogens has received less attention. In asthma, levels of exhaled NO have been utilized as a window into airway inflammation caused by allergic processes. However, respiratory infections count among the most important triggers of disease exacerbations. Among the multitude of factors that affect NO levels are psychological processes. In particular, longer lasting states of psychological stress and depression have been shown to attenuate NO production. The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has caused a pandemic, and with that, sustained levels of psychological stress globally, also adversely affects NO signaling. We review evidence on the role of NO in respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and stress, and argue that boosting NO bioavailability may be beneficial in protection from infections, thus benefitting individuals who suffer from stress in asthma or SARS-CoV-2 infection.
AB - Nitric oxide (NO) is a ubiquitous signaling molecule that is critical for supporting a plethora of processes in biological organisms. Among these, its role in the innate immune system as a first line of defense against pathogens has received less attention. In asthma, levels of exhaled NO have been utilized as a window into airway inflammation caused by allergic processes. However, respiratory infections count among the most important triggers of disease exacerbations. Among the multitude of factors that affect NO levels are psychological processes. In particular, longer lasting states of psychological stress and depression have been shown to attenuate NO production. The novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, which has caused a pandemic, and with that, sustained levels of psychological stress globally, also adversely affects NO signaling. We review evidence on the role of NO in respiratory infection, including COVID-19, and stress, and argue that boosting NO bioavailability may be beneficial in protection from infections, thus benefitting individuals who suffer from stress in asthma or SARS-CoV-2 infection.
KW - Asthma
KW - Dietary nitrate
KW - Nitric oxide donor
KW - Psychological stress
KW - Respiratory infection
KW - SARS-CoV-2
KW - nitric oxide
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85110440058&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85110440058&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100255
DO - 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100255
M3 - Review article
C2 - 33842899
AN - SCOPUS:85110440058
SN - 2666-3546
VL - 14
JO - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health
JF - Brain, Behavior, and Immunity - Health
M1 - 100255
ER -