title: Diabetes and insulin-induced stimulation of L-arginine transport and nitric oxide synthesis in rabbit isolated gastric glands.
abstract: 1. The properties of L-arginine transport have been characterized and correlated with cGMP production (index of nitric oxide (NO)) in whole gastric glands isolated from non-diabetic and alloxan-diabetic rabbits. 2. In non-diabetic and diabetic glands, transport of L-arginine was stereoselective, Na+ and pH independent and inhibited by other cationic amino acids. L-Arginine transport was slightly inhibited by L-leucine and L-phenylalanine, but unaffected by other neutral amino acids. 3. Diabetes enhanced the Vmax for saturable L-arginine transport from 10.7 +/- 1.0 to 17.7 +/- 0.5 pmol (mg protein)-1 s-1, with negligible changes in K(m). 4. Accumulation of the membrane potential-sensitive probe tetra[3H]phenylphosphonium (TPP+) was increased 2-fold in diabetic compared with non-diabetic gastric glands, suggesting a membrane hyperpolarization. 5. Basal intracellular cGMP levels were elevated 2-fold in diabetic gastric glands, and in non-diabetic glands histamine, vasoactive intestinal peptide, and bradykinin increased cGMP levels. The NO synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (100 microM) abolished basal cGMP accumulation. 6. Addition of extracellular L-arginine induced a concentration-dependent increase in cGMP levels in gastric glands isolated from non-diabetic rabbits, but had no effect on elevated cGMP levels in diabetic glands. 7. Insulin induced a rapid (5 min) concentration-dependent increase in cGMP levels in non-diabetic gastric glands, but reduced elevated cGMP levels in diabetic gastric glands. 8. The present study has identified a specific transport system for L-arginine in gastric glands which resembles the classical system y+. Our findings also provide the first direct evidence that diabetes increases the basal activity of system y+ and NO synthase in gastric glands. The differential modulation of L-arginine transport by insulin and L-arginine identified in non-diabetic and diabetic glands, may be of importance in protecting the gastric mucosa from injuries associated with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Concepción, Chile.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Contreras
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Mann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sobrevia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D002956:Citrulline / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000378:metabolism*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D005088:Exocrine Glands / Q000378:metabolism*; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007328:Insulin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D019335:Nitroarginine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin; D019335:Nitroarginine; D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D006152:Cyclic GMP