title: Comparison of cadmium and enzyme-catalyzed nitrate reduction for determination of NO2-/NO3- in breath condensate.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Analysis of NO2-/NO3- in expired breath condensate (EBC) has been proposed as a marker of inflammation in various lung diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  NO2- and total NO3-/NO2- concentrations were determined in EBC collected from healthy and asthmatic subjects. The NO3- was first reduced to NO2-, and total NO2- was detected by colorimetric Griess reaction. Two methods of NO3- reduction were compared. To reduce NO3-, cadmium (600 microl EBC-macromethod) and enzyme-NADPH-nitrate reductase (60 microl EBC-micromethod) were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Macromethod: Mean NO2- concentrations in EBC were 1.64 +/- 0.24 micromol/l in healthy subjects and 0.42 +/- 0.17 micromol/l in asthmatic patients. Mean total NO2-/NO3- levels were 3.64 +/- 0.43 micromol/l in healthy subjects and 3.27 +/- 0.34 micromol/l in asthmatic. Micromethod: NO2- level: 1.69 +/- 0.23 micromol/l in healthy subjects and 0.53 +/- 0.21 micromol/l in asthmatics. Total NO2-/NO3- levels: 3.56 +/- 0.37 micromol/l in healthy subjects and 3.57 +/- 1.17 micromol/l in asthmatics. Variability index was 27% and 6% for macro- and micromethod, respectively. Recovery of NO3- added to EBC was 100% for enzymatic and almost 88% for cadmium reduction. There was no correlation between total NO2-/NO3- levels determined by macro- and micromethod.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We recommend enzymatic reduction as a better method for NO3- determination in EBC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Clinical Physiology, Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 6/8, Lodz 92-215, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dziedzic
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mazanowska-Gajdowicz
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Walczewska
authors.forename: Agata
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sarniak
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nowak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods*; D002104:Cadmium / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002384:Catalysis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050896:Nitrate Reductase (NAD(P)H); D009565:Nitrate Reductases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000032:analysis*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000032:analysis*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D002104:Cadmium; D009565:Nitrate Reductases; D050896:Nitrate Reductase (NAD(P)H)