title: Guanidino compounds generate reactive oxygen species.
abstract: Methylguanidine, guanidinoacetic acid and guanidinosuccinic acid are endogenous substances in body tissues. Extremely high levels of these substances are known to be related to the pathogenesis of epilepsy and renal failure such as uremia. In this study it was demonstrated that methylguanidine, guanidinoacetic acid and guanidinosuccinic acid, and arginine generate hydroxyl radicals in aqueous solution. These findings suggest that a high level of guanidino compounds accumulating near or within cells such as neurons (in an epileptogenic focus) or nephrons (in uremic patients) may cause free radical damage leading to these clinical disorders. Arginine may have a similar role in the pathogenesis of hyperarginemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California at Berkeleley 94720-3200, USA.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kohno
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Masumizu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Packer
mesh_terms: D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D005609:Free Radicals; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D006146:Guanidines / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008760:Methylguanidine / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011489:Protein Denaturation; D013386:Succinates / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005609:Free Radicals; D006146:Guanidines; D013386:Succinates; D008760:Methylguanidine; C001318:guanidinosuccinic acid; C004946:glycocyamine; D010100:Oxygen; D005998:Glycine