title: L-arginine improves DNA synthesis in LPS-challenged enterocytes.
abstract: The neonatal small intestine is susceptible to damage by endotoxin, and this cytotoxicity may involve intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in DNA damage and mitochondrial dysfunction. L-Arginine (Arg) confers a cytoprotective effect on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated enterocytes through activation of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. Arg improves DNA synthesis and mitochondrial bioenergetics, which may also be responsible for beneficial effects of Arg on intestinal mucosal cells. In support of this notion, results of recent studies indicate that elevated Arg concentrations enhances DNA synthesis, cell-cycle progression, and mitochondrial bioenergetics in LPS-treated intestinal epithelial cells through mechanisms involving activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway. These findings provide a biochemical basis for dietary Arg supplementation to improve the regeneration and repair of the small-intestinal mucosa in both animals and humans.
authors.affiliation: Observation and Experiment Station of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South-Central China, Ministry of Agriculture; Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Healthy Livestock and Poultry Production, Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes, bietan@isa.ac.cn.
authors.forename: Bi'e
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Xia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Guangran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yulong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Yongqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University.
authors.forename: Guoyao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D004247:DNA; D001120:Arginine