High nitric oxide production in human paranasal sinuses
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) is present in air derived from the nasal airways. However, the precise origin and physiological role of airway-derived NO are unknown. We report that NO in humans is produced by epithelial cells in the paranasal sinuses and is present in sinus air in very high concentrations, close to the highest permissible atmospheric pollution levels. In immunohistochemical and mRNA in situ hybridization studies we show that an NO synthase most closely resembling the inducible isoform is constitutively expressed apically in sinus epithelium. In contrast, only weak NO synthase activity was found in the epithelium of the nasal cavity. Our findings, together with the well-known bacteriostatic effects of NO, suggest a role for NO in the maintenance of sterility in the human paranasal sinuses.
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The generation of NO through NOS enzymes and oxidative pathways in normoxic conditions is supplemented by the actions of reductive, nitrite-dependent pathways in hypoxia.
“The generation of NO through NOS enzymes and oxidative pathways in normoxic conditions is supplemented by the actions of reductive, nitrite-dependent pathways in hypoxia (603, 968).”
From Sources of Vascular Nitric Oxide and Reactive Oxygen Species and Their Regulation (2019) · cites this paper as [603]
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- Authors
- Lundberg, J. O. N., Farkas-Szallasi, T., Weitzberg, E., Rinder, J., Lidholm, J., Änggåard, A., Hökfelt, T., Lundberg, J. M., & Alving, K.
- Affiliations
- Karolinska Institutet (SE)
- Karolinska University Hospital (SE)
- Venue
- Nature Medicine
- Published
- 1995-04
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 370-373
- ISSN
- 1078-8956 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-170X
- OpenAlex
- W1997081772
- Cited by
- 628
- References
- 21
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 10 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 20 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 17 · 2014: 20 · 2013: 23 · 2012: 18
- FWCI
- 19.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Nitric Oxide and Endothelin Effects
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Otorhinolaryngology › Sinusitis and nasal conditions
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Asthma and respiratory diseases
- Keywords
- nitric oxide, paranasal sinuses, inducible nitric oxide synthase, nasal cavity, airway immunity
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Arginine, Biopsy, Child, Child, Preschool, Enzyme Inhibitors, Epithelium, Female, Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Middle Aged, Nasal Mucosa, Nitric Oxide, Paranasal Sinus Diseases, Paranasal Sinuses, Peptide Fragments, Respiration, RNA, Messenger, In Situ Hybridization, Nitric Oxide Synthase, NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester
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