Metabolism of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine.
Rat kidney contains an enzyme which hydrolyzes NG-monomethyl-L-arginine to give rise to the formation of ornithine and N-methylurea. Confirmation of formation of these reaction products is carried out colorimetrically as well as radiochemically employing NG-monomethyl-L-[ornithine-14C(U)]arginine. This pattern of reaction products suggests that the enzyme responsible is an arginase type. However, the kidney enzyme is quite distinct from the hepatic arginase; commercial bovine hepatic arginase (L-arginine amidinohydrolase, EC 3.5.3.1) is completely inactive toward NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. Among various rat tissues examined, the hydrolytic activity is the highest in kidney, followed by the activity in liver and pancreas.
D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000032:analysis; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000378:metabolism; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002417:Cattle; D003124:Colorimetry; D006868:Hydrolysis; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008345:Manganese / Q000494:pharmacology; D008782:Methylurea Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine
D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D008782:Methylurea Compounds; D019323:omega-N-Methylarginine; D008345:Manganese; D001120:Arginine; D001119:Arginase