title: Differential regulation of L-arginine transport and inducible NOS in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.
abstract: Experiments were performed to characterize the uptake of L-arginine in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) and to examine whether inducers of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) could regulate the transport of L-arginine into these cells. L-Arginine transport by SMC was saturable, Na+ independent, strongly inhibited in the presence of other cationic amino acids, and could be stimulated by preloading the cells with cationic amino acids. Kinetic studies revealed the presence of both a high [Michaelis constant (Km) approximately 125 microM] and low (Km approximately 1.4 mM) affinity L-arginine transporter. Treatment of vascular SMC with interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) resulted in parallel increases in L-arginine transport and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, as measured by nitrite production. Increasing the concentration of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha caused a progressive elevation in nitrite production but did not further stimulate L-arginine uptake. Treatment of SMC with the combination of TNF-alpha and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) synergistically enhanced nitrite release without having any additional effect on L-arginine transport. Both induction of L-arginine transport and NOS activity by these cytokines were blocked by cycloheximide. Finally, treatment of SMC with interferon-gamma and N6,2'-O-dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate selectively stimulated the formation of nitrite by SMC but had no effect on L-arginine transport. These results demonstrate that L-arginine transport by cultured vascular SMC is mediated by the system y+ carrier and that inducers of NOS differentially regulate the activity of this transporter.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Houston Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Texas.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Durante
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Schafer
mesh_terms: D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D001693:Biological Transport, Active / Q000187:drug effects; D003994:Bucladesine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003513:Cycloheximide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007700:Kinetics; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D051381:Rats; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003994:Bucladesine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D001120:Arginine; D003513:Cycloheximide; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D000594:Amino Acid Oxidoreductases