title: The Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitor NG-Nitro-L-Arginine Methyl Ester Diminishes the Immunomodulatory Effects of Parental Arginine in Rats with Subacute Peritonitis.
abstract: The combined treatment of parenteral arginine and the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) have been shown to improve liver function and systemic inflammation in subacute peritonitic rats. Here, we investigated the effects of single and combined parenteral arginine and L-NAME treatments on leukocyte and splenocyte immunity. Male Wistar rats were subjected to cecal punctures and were intravenously given total parenteral nutrition solutions with or without arginine and/or L-NAME supplementations for 7 days. Non-surgical and sham-operated rats with no cecal puncture were given a chow diet and parenteral nutrition, respectively. Parenteral feeding elevated the white blood cell numbers and subacute peritonitis augmented the parenteral nutrition-induced alterations in the loss of body weight gain, splenomegaly, and splenocyte decreases. Parenteral arginine significantly increased the B-leukocyte level, decreased the natural killer T (NKT)-leukocyte and splenocyte levels, alleviated the loss in body weight gain and total and cytotoxic T-splenocyte levels, and attenuated the increases in plasma nitrate/nitrite and interferon-gamma production by T-splenocytes. L-NAME infusion significantly decreased NKT-leukocyte level, tumor-necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha production by T-splenocytes and macrophages, and interferon-gamma production by T-leukocytes, monocytes, and T-splenocytes, as well as increased interleukin-6 production by T-leukocytes and monocytes and nitrate/nitrite production by T-leukocytes. Combined treatment significantly decreased plasma nitrate/nitrite, the NKT-leukocyte level, and TNF-alpha production by T-splenocytes. Parenteral arginine may attenuate immune impairment and L-NAME infusion may augment leukocyte proinflammatory response, eliminate splenocyte proinflammatory and T-helper 1 responses, and diminish arginine-induced immunomodulation in combined treatment in subacute peritonitic rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutritional Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hui-Chen
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lo
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ching-Yi
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Fu-Huan
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Tzu-Cheng
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Division of General Pediatric Surgery, Department of Surgery, China Medical University Children's Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.|School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chien-Hsing
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D008297:Male; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000097:blood; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D009573:Nitrites / Q000097:blood; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D009566:Nitrates; D009573:Nitrites; D001120:Arginine; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester