title: Post-radiation syndrome as a NO/ONOO- cycle, chronic fatigue syndrome-like disease.
abstract: Post-radiation syndrome is proposed to be chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or a chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness, initiated by exposure to ionizing radiation. This view is supported by the nitric oxide/peroxynitrite (NO/ONOO-) cycle mechanism, the putative etiologic mechanism for CFS and related illnesses. Ionizing radiation may initiate illness by increasing nitric oxide levels via increased activity of the transcription factor NF-kappaB and consequent increased synthesis of the inducible nitric oxide synthase. Two types of components of the nitric oxide/peroxynitrite cycle have been studied in post-radiation syndrome patients and shown to be elevated. The symptoms and signs of post-radiation syndrome and its chronicity are similar or identical to those of chronic fatigue syndrome and can be explained as being a consequence of nitric oxide/peroxynitrite cycle etiology. While the data available to test this view are limited, it provides for the first time a comprehensive explanation for post-radiation syndrome.
authors.affiliation: School of Molecular Biosciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4234, USA. martin_pall@wsu.edu
authors.forename: Martin L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Pall
mesh_terms: D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D011839:Radiation, Ionizing
chemical_list: D030421:Peroxynitrous Acid; D009569:Nitric Oxide