title: Oral nitrite therapy improves vascular function in diabetic mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We tested the hypothesis that short-term oral sodium nitrite supplementation would improve vascular dysfunction in obese, diabetic mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Vascular function was determined in control mice and in db/db mice receiving drinking water with or without sodium nitrite (50 mg/L) for 5 weeks. Nitrite supplementation increased plasma nitrite concentrations in db/db mice (0.19±0.02 µM vs 0.80±0.26 µM; p < 0.05). Db/db mice had lower endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) in response to increasing doses of acetylcholine versus heterozygous control mice (71.2% ± 14.3% vs 93% ± 7.0%; p < 0.05), and sodium nitrite supplementation restored endothelium-dependent dilation to control levels (92.9% ± 2.3% vs 93% ± 7.0%; p < 0.05). The improvement in endothelial function was accompanied by a reduction in intrinsic stiffness, but not by alterations in plasma or vascular markers of inflammation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggest that sodium nitrite may be a novel therapy for treating diabetes-related vascular dysfunction; however, the mechanisms of improvement are unknown.
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA Department of Health and Human Physiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
authors.forename: Amy L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sindler
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Kimberly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cox-York
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Reese
authors.affiliation: Texas Therapeutics Institute, Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Nathan S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrative Physiology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Seals
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA Christopher.gentile@colostate.edu.
authors.forename: Christopher L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Gentile
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006579:Heterozygote; D006720:Homozygote; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008817:Mice, Mutant Strains; D017354:Point Mutation; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000235:genetics; D012977:Sodium Nitrite / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D059289:Vascular Stiffness / Q000187:drug effects; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects*; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C515447:leptin receptor, mouse; D012977:Sodium Nitrite
keywords: Endothelial function; diabetes; nitrite