title: Unilateral nephrectomy causes an early abrupt decrease in plasma arginine and simultaneous reduction in glomerular filtration rate in living kidney donors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Living donor kidney transplantation is regarded as beneficial to allograft recipients and not particularly detrimental to the donors. Recently we have documented a reduced glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in living kidney donors (LKDs). Considering kidneys as essential for l-arginine (Arg) metabolism, in the present study we analyzed plasma Arg and related compounds comparing them with the function of remaining kidney in LKDs after donation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed GFR, plasma Arg, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), citrulline (Cit), glutamine (Gln), ornithine (Orn), phenylalanine (Phe), tyrosine (Tyr), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), urea, creatinine, nitrite, nitrate and their sum (NOx) in blood samples taken from LKDs before, immediately after (0-time) and 1, 2, 3, 7 and 14 days following surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Gradual and moderate creatinine increase and albumin decrease were associated with decreased GFR. An abrupt decrease in Arg occurred, staying below baseline level throughout the 14 days. Also decreases in Gln, Cit, Orn, increase in Phe and TBARS, and unaltered ADMA, nitrite and NOx concentrations were obtained. Despite increased net protein catabolism (indicated by elevated Phe/Tyr ratios) lack of Arg, suggested by decreased molar Arg/Phe ratios, occurred. Decreased molar Arg/Gln suggests an early but transient decrease in Arg synthesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Unilateral nephrectomy causes an early abrupt decrease in plasma arginine and reduction in glomerular filtration rate in LKDs that was associated with increased net protein breakdown in the peripheral tissues and elevated oxidative damage, which has to be considered in their therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Medical Research, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia. Electronic address: gordana144@open.telekom.rs.
authors.forename: Gordana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zunić
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomić
authors.forename: Slavica
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spasić
mesh_terms: D001120:Arginine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood*; D002956:Citrulline / Q000097:blood; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D019520:Living Donors; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009392:Nephrectomy; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D009952:Ornithine / Q000097:blood; D010649:Phenylalanine / Q000097:blood; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D009573:Nitrites; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; C487735:dimethylarginine; D002956:Citrulline; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D010649:Phenylalanine; D014508:Urea; D001120:Arginine; D003404:Creatinine; D009952:Ornithine
keywords: Amino acids; Arginine; Glomerular filtration rate; Kidney; Nephrectomy; Nitric oxide