Macrophages can convert citrulline into arginine.
Rat peritoneal macrophages were incubated in the presence of 0.05-1.0 mM-[14C]citrulline. The synthesis of [14C]arginine from 0.1 mM-[14C]citrulline was about 300 pmol/h per 10(6) cells in macrophages from saline-injected (control) rats. Both arginine synthesis from citrulline and nitrate production (an indicator of NO generation) were increased about 3-fold in the cells from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated animals. The arginine synthesis was very sensitive to extracellular citrulline concentration in the range found in plasma (0.05-0.1 mM). The rate of arginine synthesis from citrulline was inhibited by about 20% by 0.5 mM-L-glutamine in both control and LPS-treated rat cells, but was inhibited by 0.5 mM-L-arginine only in control cells. Our results demonstrate that citrulline, produced by NO synthetase, can be recycled to arginine in macrophages. The citrulline-arginine cycle may contribute to the regulation of intracellular availability of arginine and thus the prolonged production of NO by macrophages.
Wu
G Y
GY
Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada.
Brosnan
J T
JT
D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002956:Citrulline / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism; D011865:Radioisotope Dilution Technique; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009566:Nitrates; D002956:Citrulline; D001120:Arginine