Implication of nitric oxide in the pathogenesis of influenza virus infection

Abstract

Influenza continues to be a significant threat to global public health. Even annual vaccination fails to prevent complicated illness and death. The findings in various studies suggest that severe disease is attributed to pulmonary complications – primary viral and secondary bacterial pneumonia. A number of investigations on influenza virus infection in the mouse model demonstrate that overproduction of free radicals, including nitric oxide (NO), contributes to the development of pneumonia during influenza virus infection. The role of NO on influenza virus infection in mice and differences between inducible nitric oxide synthase activation in mouse and human systems are discussed in this review. The biosynthesis of NO, mechanisms for regulation of NO production, nitrative stress during pathogenesis of various microbial infections are overviewed as well.