title: Dietary L-arginine level alters plasma nitric oxide and apha-1 acid glycoprotein concentrations, and splenocyte proliferation in male broiler chickens following Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide injection.
abstract: Experiments were conducted to determine the effect of dietary arginine (Arg) on nitric oxide (NO) production following injection with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and splenocyte proliferative response to concanavalin A in broilers. Birds were fed experimental diets containing Arg at levels of 6.5, 14.4 or 24.4 g/kg diet in experiment 1, and 6.5, 14.4 or 19.3 g/kg diet in experiment 2, respectively, for 7 days and were then intraperitoneally injected with LPS (2 mg/kg body weight) after 16 h fasting. Maximum NO production estimated by plasma nitrite concentration was observed 6 or 10 h after LPS injection in all Arg groups. Dietary Arg level and/or intake were positively associated with NO production. NO production at 6 or 10 h after LPS injection coincided with changes in plasma alpha-1 acid glycoprotein concentration, an acute phase substance, at 10 or 24 h post-LPS injection. Splenocyte proliferation in chicks fed on Arg-sufficient (14.4 g/kg) diet was greater that that in chicks fed Arg-deficient or -excess diets. The results suggest that dietary Arg level and/or intake proportionally affect NO production, and acute phase inflammatory responses following LPS injection, and that marginal deficiency or excess of dietary Arg might reduce splenocyte proliferative responses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Tohoku University, Sendai-shi, Japan. taka@bios.tohoku.ac.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orihashi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Akiba
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002645:Chickens; D004032:Diet; D004926:Escherichia coli; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood*; D009961:Orosomucoid / Q000378:metabolism*; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009961:Orosomucoid; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine