Possible role of the control of arginase and methionine adenosyl transferase in the transport processes of endogenous formaldehyde and in hypermethylation.
The authors believe the normal formaldehyde  equilibrium in the organism to be governed by a biological control mechanism, which is thought to be closely connected to L - arginine and - indirectly - to the arginase enzyme. Arginine reacts with formaldehyde in a spontaneous equilibrium reaction yielding methylol - derivatives thus mobilizing formaldehyde. The methylol - derivatives of L - arginine were found in serum and urine. The authors assume the methylol - derivatives of L - arginine to have an inhibiting effect on cell - proliferation.
D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000378:metabolism*; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism; D001692:Biological Transport; D002413:Cations, Divalent; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008716:Methionine Adenosyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D008745:Methylation; D014166:Transferases / Q000378:metabolism*
D002413:Cations, Divalent; D005557:Formaldehyde; D001120:Arginine; D014166:Transferases; D008716:Methionine Adenosyltransferase; D001119:Arginase