title: Altered L-arginine metabolism in children with controlled asthma.
abstract: Decreased level of L-arginine may lead to airway hyperresponsiveness, inflammation, and airway remodeling. Changes in L-arginine metabolism were observed earlier in adult asthmatic patients. Studies on L-arginine metabolism in children with bronchial asthma are limited. Because biosynthesis of L-arginine is insufficient in growing children, its potential metabolic alterations may have important clinical implications. This study was designed to evaluate L-arginine metabolism in children with well-controlled asthma. The studies were conducted on blood serum of 30 asthmatic and 20 healthy children (control group). Levels of L-arginine and its metabolic products, L-citrulline and L-ornithine, were measured by HPLC. Arginase activity was determined spectrophotometrically. Disease severity was evaluated by the asthma control test (ACT) and the level of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air. In asthmatic children L-arginine concentration was significantly lowered, whereas arginase activity was unchanged when compared with the healthy group. However, L-ornithine and L-citrulline levels were significantly increased. There was no correlation between arginase activity, amino acids levels, ACT scores, and exhaled NO. In children with chronic, well-controlled asthma L-arginine metabolism is altered. Given that L-arginine is absolutely essential for children, our findings may be of particular importance for the management of children with non-exacerbated asthma. They may also help to develop new therapeutic strategies targeted at L-arginine metabolism in the future.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Medical University of Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kraj
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Krawiec
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Koter
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Graboń
authors.forename: Grażyna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kraj
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chołojczyk
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kulus
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barańczyk-Kuźma
mesh_terms: D001119:Arginase / Q000097:blood; D001120:Arginine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D001249:Asthma / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002956:Citrulline / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009952:Ornithine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D002956:Citrulline; D001120:Arginine; D009952:Ornithine; D001119:Arginase