Gastric carditis: Is it a histological response to high concentrations of luminal nitric oxide?

Figure 1 Nitric oxide chemistry at human gastro-oesophageal junction. Nitrite (NO₂^-) in swallowed saliva is converted to nitric oxide (NO) promptly at the gastro-oesophageal (GO) junction where encountering gastric acid containing ascorbic acid. NO thus formed diffuses into the adjacent tissue of the GO junction because of its gaseous and lipophilic properties. The majority of the NO arising from the lumen will be exhausted within the superficial mucosal layer by reacting with surrounding molecules while a small portion of the NO can reach the inner muscular layer. The luminal generation of NO is sustained for several hours after nitrate ingestion, during which period the GO junction is exposed to abundant amounts of NO.