Rat peritoneal macrophages were incubated in the presence of 0.05-1.0 mM-[14C]citrulline. The synthesis of [14C]arginine from 0.1 mM-[14C]citrulline was about 300 pmol/h per 10(6) cells in macrophages from saline-injected (control) rats. Both arginine synthesis from citrulline and nitrate production (an indicator of NO generation) were increased about 3-fold in the cells from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated animals. The arginine synthesis was very sensitive to extracellular citrulline concentration in the range found in plasma (0.05-0.1 mM). The rate of arginine synthesis from citrulline was inhibited by about 20% by 0.5 mM-L-glutamine in both control and LPS-treated rat cells, but was inhibited by 0.5 mM-L-arginine only in control cells. Our results demonstrate that citrulline, produced by NO synthetase, can be recycled to arginine in macrophages. The citrulline-arginine cycle may contribute to the regulation of intracellular availability of arginine and thus the prolonged production of NO by macrophages.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
January 1992
- Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
- PDF Icon PDF LinkAdvertising
Research Article|
January 01 1992
Macrophages can convert citrulline into arginine
G Wu;
G Wu
1Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1B 3X9
Search for other works by this author on:
J T Brosnan
J T Brosnan
1Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada A1B 3X9
Search for other works by this author on:
Biochem J (1992) 281 (1): 45–48.
Citation
G Wu, J T Brosnan; Macrophages can convert citrulline into arginine. Biochem J 1 January 1992; 281 (1): 45–48. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/bj2810045
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.