title: Arginine metabolism in soft tissue sarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  L-Arginine (L-Arg) is a conditionally essential amino acid for humans, which is the substrate for both arginase (ARG) and the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) enzymes. Whether L-Arg metabolism has detrimental or beneficial influence on the tumor growth depends on local up regulation of the NOS or ARG pathways at the tumor site.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the expression profile of ARG and iNOS in various histological subtypes of soft tissue sarcomas (STSs).
  
  
  METHODS
  A series of 81 adult STSs were tested for ARG1, ARG2 and iNOS expression by immunohistochemical analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ARG1, ARG2 and iNOS expression was found in tumor cells of all cases of STSs except dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) in a cytoplasmic pattern. However, there was no significant correlation found between ARG, iNOS expression and histopathological parameters. Conversely, the majority of DFSP were devoid of ARG and iNOS expression, while only two cases showed focal and weak expression.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overexpression of L-Arg-metabolizing enzymes ARG and iNOS in tumor cells of all of the STS cases except DFSP may have a role in mediating the biological processes which characterize STSs. New knowledge of the regulation of arginine metabolism in tumor tissues is key to designing sound therapeutic means to effectively prevent tumorigenesis. Further studies are needed to clarify the absence of ARG and iNOS staining in DFSP.
authors.forename: Xiaofeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.forename: Lining
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Chisato
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gondo
authors.forename: Nokitaka
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Setsu
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Yating
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moroi
authors.forename: Masutaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001120:Arginine / Q000378:metabolism*; D018223:Dermatofibrosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007890:Leiomyosarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008080:Liposarcoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001120:Arginine; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II