Cultured endothelial cells maintain their L-arginine level despite the continuous release of EDRF.
Endothelial cells cultured from bovine aorta and grown on microcarrier beads contain 107 +/- 9 microM L-arginine (Arg; n = 11). When packed into a jacketed chromatography column and perfused with Krebs solution, the cells showed a substantial and sustained release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor (EDRF) for up to 2 h, which was further enhanced by infusions of adenosine diphosphate (4 microM). In contrast to other amino acids, such as L-alanine, L-aspartate, L-glutamine, L-glutamate or L-serine, which showed a time-dependent decrease to less than 30% of their original level within 2 h, Arg remained at control levels for 30 min and decreased only by 25% after 2 h. Thus endothelial cells can generate Arg from an intracellular source to maintain their Arg level despite the continuous formation of EDRF.
Mitchell
J A
JA
William Harvey Research Institute, St. Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, London, U.K.
Hecker
M
M
Anggård
E E
EE
Vane
J R
JR
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002845:Chromatography; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000494:pharmacology
D000596:Amino Acids; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase