title: Liver I/R injury is improved by the arginase inhibitor, N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-L-arginine (nor-NOHA).
abstract: Liver ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is associated with profound arginine depletion due to arginase release from injured hepatocytes. The purpose of this study was to determine whether arginase inhibition with N(omega)-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine (nor-NOHA) would increase circulating arginine levels and decrease hepatic damage during liver I/R injury. The effects of nor-NOHA were initially tested in normal animals to determine in vivo toxicity. In the second series of experiments, orthotopic syngeneic liver transplantation (OLT) was performed after 18 h of cold ischemia time in Lewis rats. Animals were given nor-NOHA (100 mg/kg) or saline before and after graft reperfusion. In normal animals treated with nor-NOHA, there were no histopathological changes to organs, liver enzymes, serum creatinine, or body weight. In the OLT model, animals treated with saline exhibited markedly elevated serum transaminases and circulating arginase protein levels. Nor-NOHA administration blunted the increase in serum arginase activity by 80% and preserved serum arginine levels at 3 h after OLT. Nor-NOHA treatment reduced post-OLT serum liver enzyme release by 50%. Liver histology (degree of necrosis) in nor-NOHA-treated animals was markedly improved compared with the saline-treated group. Furthermore, use of the arginase inhibitor nor-NOHA did not influence polyamine synthesis owing to the decrease in ornithine levels. Arginase blockade represents a potentially novel strategy to combat hepatic I/R injury associated with liver transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Univ of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
authors.forename: Kaye M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsung
authors.forename: Takahashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kaizu
authors.forename: Geetha
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jeyabalan
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.forename: Guoyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Noriko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Murase
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Geller
mesh_terms: D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology; D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D015317:Biogenic Polyamines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D008297:Male; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D009952:Ornithine / Q000097:blood; D011700:Putrescine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013095:Spermidine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D013096:Spermine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D015317:Biogenic Polyamines; C404735:N(omega)-hydroxynorarginine; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D013096:Spermine; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D009952:Ornithine; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D001119:Arginase; D013095:Spermidine; D011700:Putrescine