title: Changes in amino acid metabolism during activation of mouse macrophage-like cell lines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  recent reports have suggested the applicability of salivary amino acids as markers for various diseases. In order to understand the role of macrophages in the age-related changes of salivary amino acid composition, we compared the amino acid production and consumption between control and activated macrophages.
  
  
  METHODS
  mouse macrophage-like cells (RAW264.7, J774.1) were activated by Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) and amino acids in the culture medium during culture were determined by Griess method and amino acid analyzer, respectively, to delineate their metabolic rates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LPS activated these macrophages, as judged by the enhanced production of NO and citrulline. The activated macrophages produced greater amounts of glycine, glutamic acid, alanine and histidine as compared with control cells, and consumed serine and glutamine at the highest rates.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests the possible role of activated macrophages in age-related changes in salivary amino acid composition.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacology, Department of Diagnosis and Therapeutic Sciences, Meikai University School of Dentistry, Sakado, Saitama 350-0283, Japan.
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yokote
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakagami
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids