Nitrate metabolsim in Sjogren's Syndrome and immune disease
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Nitrate metabolsim in Sjogren's Syndrome and immune disease
IRAS ID
231611
Contact name
Richard Haigh
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Dietary inorganic nitrate (in green leafy vegetables) undergoes enterosalivary metabolism after ingestion: nitrate is concentrated in the salivary glands and salivary secretion into the mouth results in its conversion to nitrite by bacteria. Swallowed nitrite is absorbed from the gut into the bloodstream, and converted to nitric oxide (NO). In healthy subjects, nitrate supplementation improves blood vessel function and the oxygen cost of exercise. In Sjögren’s Syndrome (SS), salivary gland dysfunction may interrupt the enterosalivary pathway of NO generation, possibly explaining some of the blood vessel dysfunction and fatigue in SS. We will test if SS patients process nitrate from the diet differently to healthy controls, by giving a dose of beetroot juice (high in nitrate) to SS patients and healthy controls. We will measure the amount of nitrate and nitrite in saliva, plasma, and urine over 6 hours to test if there are any differences.
If there are differences in nitrate metabolism, we will repeat the experiment in patients with other immune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosis, rheumatoid arthritis and scleroderma as there is evidence of similar, though not as severe, glandular dysfunction.REC name
North West - Preston Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NW/0200
Date of REC Opinion
22 Apr 2020
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion