Effects of pH on nitrite-induced formation of reactive nitrogen oxide species and their scavenging by phenolic antioxidants in human oral cavity

Nitrogen dioxide-dependent oxidation of uric acid in the human oral cavity under acidic conditions: implications for its occurrence in acidic dental plaque

The pH in dental plaque falls to below 5 after the ingestion of foods, and it may remain low if acid-tolerant bacteria grow in the plaque. Certain nitrate-reducing bacteria in the oral cavity can proliferate in dental plaque at low pH, and nitrite is detected in such plaque. In acidic dental plaque, NO(2) can be produced by self-decomposition of nitrous acid and also by peroxidase-catalyzed oxidation of nitrite, and it may oxidize uric acid, a major antioxidant in the oral cavity. Under experimental conditions that simulate oral cavity, the oxidation of uric acid by nitrite and by nitrite/peroxidase systems was much more rapid at pH 5 than at pH 7, suggesting the more rapid production of NO(2) in dental plaque at lower pH. We propose that if the pH of plaque developed in a dental crevice decreased, NO(2) and other nitrogen oxides produced in the plaque would diffuse into the adjoining gingival tissues. The results of this study seem to contribute to the understanding of the induction of periodontal diseases in the context of nitrite-dependent production of nitrogen oxides in acidic dental plaque.

Nitration of the salivary component 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid in the human oral cavity: enhancement of nitration under acidic conditions

4-Hydroxyphenylacetic acid (HPA) and nitrite are present in human mixed whole saliva, and HPA can be nitrated by peroxidase/hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))/nitrite systems in the oral cavity. Thus, the objectives of the present study were to estimate the concentrations of HPA, nitrated HPA [4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenylacetic acid (NO(2)HPA)], nitrite, and thiocyanate (SCN(-)) in saliva from 73 patients with periodontal diseases and to elucidate the conditions necessary to induce nitration of HPA. High concentrations of HPA, nitrite, and SCN(-) were found in the saliva of patients older than 50 yr of age. NO(2)HPA was detected in seven patients who were older than 60 yr of age. Nitrite-dependent formation of NO(2)HPA by a bacterial fraction prepared from mixed whole saliva was faster at pH 5.3 than at pH 7, and increased as the rate of H(2)O(2) formation increased. The formation of NO(2)HPA was inhibited by SCN(-) and by salivary antioxidants such as uric acid, ascorbic acid, and glutathione. These results suggest that nitration can proceed at an acidic site in the oral cavity where H(2)O(2) is produced under conditions of decreased concentrations of SCN(-) and of antioxidants.