title: Lysine-arginine association and human neutrophil function: enhancement of functions related to microbicidal activity.
abstract: The effects of L-lysine, L-arginine, and lysine-arginine association on human neutrophil function were studied. The combination of the two agents, used at pharmacological concentrations, was able to increase both the phagocytosis-associated and the f-MLP-induced chemiluminescence, in the presence of luminol as amplifier agent. Neither superoxide anion production nor phytohaemagglutinin-induced aggregation were affected by the lysine-arginine association. The two amino-acids did not show any effect when used as single agents. L-canavanine (competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis starting from L-arginine) did not reduce chemiluminescence. These results show that the association lysine-arginine may increase the microbicidal potential of human neutrophils, probably by increasing the production of hypochlorous acid. In addition, a role for nitric oxide in these effects can be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Haematology, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carulli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azzarà
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Minnucci
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rizzuti Gullaci
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sbrana
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ambrogi
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002172:Canavanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002449:Cell Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006801:Humans; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008165:Luminol / Q000494:pharmacology; D008239:Lysine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine / Q000494:pharmacology; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D013481:Superoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D002172:Canavanine; D009240:N-Formylmethionine Leucyl-Phenylalanine; D008165:Luminol; D006997:Hypochlorous Acid; D001120:Arginine; D008239:Lysine