Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol 1, Issue 5 369-373, Copyright © 1992 by American Association for Cancer Research

ARTICLES

Significant endogenous synthesis of nitrate does not appear to be a feature of influenza A virus infection

D Forman, S Leach, P Packer, G Davey and J Heptonstall
Imperial Cancer Research Fund, Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford, England.

There is much concern about the role of nitrate in the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds. There has been renewed interest in the endogenous formation of nitrate arising as a host response to infection. This study was designed to investigate whether the large increases in nitrate excretion rate reported (6-15-fold) for certain infectious diseases is also a feature of systemic influenza infections. Volunteers were challenged either with an attenuated strain of influenza A virus or with saline; and excreted nitrate was measured in subsequent 24-h urine samples. Both with and without adjustment for potential confounding by dietary and other factors, it was clear that neither mild nor moderate influenza A virus infection resulted in substantial endogenous nitrate biosynthesis since all the variation in urinary nitrate excretion observed was within the range of normal daily fluctuations. It remains possible that a stronger and more consistent nitrate excretion response might be observed in other infectious illnesses with greater systemic disturbance.