Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P43026 (lipopolysaccharide)
 62,215 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

In macrophages and other cell types, bacterial lipopolysaccharide and certain cytokines stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production via expression of the inducible isoform of nitric oxide synthase (NOS). Citrulline, which is the coproduct of NOS-catalyzed metabolism of arginine, can be recycled to arginine by the action of argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase, which are present at high levels in hepatocytes and renal tubular cells but normally at very low levels in other cell types such as macrophages. The present study demonstrates that lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma, which induce NOS in the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7, also coinduce activity and mRNA for argininosuccinate synthetase, which is limiting for arginine synthesis. Argininosuccinate lyase activity and mRNA abundance are unaffected. Induction of argininosuccinate synthetase is not blocked by NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, a potent inhibitor of NOS, indicating that argininosuccinate synthetase induction is not the consequence of depleting cellular arginine levels by NOS. Because plasma levels of arginine are limiting for NO synthesis, enhanced cellular capacity to regenerate arginine from citrulline could play a significant role in regulating NO production, especially under conditions where the inducible isoform of NOS is expressed.
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PMID:Coinduction of nitric oxide synthase and argininosuccinate synthetase in a murine macrophage cell line. Implications for regulation of nitric oxide production. 750 6

Nitric oxide synthase produces NO, citrulline, water, and NADP at the expense of arginine, NADPH, and dioxygen. While citrulline has been considered to be an inert by-product of the high output inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS), we show here that immunostimulants induce a metabolic pathway in vascular smooth muscle cells, which enables them to regenerate arginine from citrulline. Regeneration of arginine from citrulline is accomplished by two urea cycle enzymes: arginino-succinate synthetase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL). Whereas AL is constitutive to vascular smooth muscle cells, AS mRNA and enzyme activity is markedly induced in cells by treatment with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The induction of AS mRNA and activity by LPS follows a time course which mirrors that for iNOS but lags 1-2 h behind. As shown for iNOS, interferon-gamma does not itself induce AS but is synergistic with LPS. AS induction is suppressed by glucocorticoids, actinomycin D, and, to a lesser extent, cycloheximide. On the other hand, AS induction is unaffected by an excess of citrulline or the inhibitor of iNOS, N omega-methyl-L-arginine. Our results show the urea cycle enzymes AS and AL confer cells with the capacity to produce NO without a need for exogenous arginine. In conjunction with NOS, citric acid cycle enzymes that covert fumarate to oxaloacetate (fumarase and malate dehydrogenase) and oxaloacetate to aspartate (aspartate transaminase), AS and AL form a novel arginine-citrulline cycle that enables high output NO production by cells.
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PMID:Argininosuccinate synthetase mRNA and activity are induced by immunostimulants in vascular smooth muscle. Role in the regeneration or arginine for nitric oxide synthesis. 751 85

Since arginine is the only physiological substrate for the NO synthase reaction, regulation of arginine availability could determine the cellular rate of NO production. We investigated whether lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment in vivo would alter tissue expression of mRNAs for argininosuccinate synthetase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL), the net action of which is to convert citrulline to arginine. Concomitant with the induction of NO synthase mRNA, injection of LPS into the rats elicited an increase in AS and AL mRNA levels in the tissues. In contrast with modest increases in the abundance of AS and AL mRNA in lung and heart, a marked increase in levels of AS and AL mRNA in the kidney occurred. The liver, whether or not treated with LPS, contained high levels of mRNA for AS and AL which are components of the urea cycle. Findings suggest that an increase in the renal capacity to convert citrulline to arginine could play a key role in NO formation in vivo when arginine becomes limiting.
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PMID:Effect of lipopolysaccharide treatment in vivo on tissue expression of argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase mRNAs: relationship to nitric oxide synthase. 757 82

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and citrulline which is generated can be recycled to arginine by argininosuccinate synthetase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL). Rats were injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and expression of the inducible isoform of NOS (iNOS), AS, and AL was analyzed. In RNA blot analysis, iNOS mRNA was undetectable before the LPS treatment but was induced by LPS in the lung, heart, liver, and spleen, and less strongly in the skeletal muscle and testis. AS mRNA was induced in the lung and spleen, and AL mRNA was weakly induced in these tissues. AS and AL mRNAs were abundant in the control liver and remained unchanged after the treatment. Kinetic studies showed that iNOS mRNA increased rapidly in both spleen and lung, reached a maximum 2-5 h after the treatment, and decreased thereafter. On the other hand, AS mRNA increased more slowly and reached a maximum in 6-12 h (by about 10-fold in the spleen and 2-fold in the lung). AL mRNA in the spleen and lung increased slowly and remained high up to 24 h. In immunoblot analysis, increase of iNOS protein was evident in the lung, liver, and spleen, and there was an increase of AS protein in the lung and spleen. In immunohistochemical analysis, macrophages in the spleen that were negative for iNOS and AS before LPS treatment were strongly positive for both iNOS and AS after this treatment. As iNOS, AS, and AL were coinduced in rat tissues and cells, citrulline-arginine recycling seems to be important in NO synthesis under the conditions of stimulation.
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PMID:Coinduction of nitric oxide synthase, argininosuccinate synthetase, and argininosuccinate lyase in lipopolysaccharide-treated rats. RNA blot, immunoblot, and immunohistochemical analyses. 857 37

Immunostimulants trigger vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) to express both the inducible isoform of NO synthase (iNOS) and argininosuccinate synthetase (AS). With constitutively expressed argininosuccinate lyase (AL), AS confers cells with an Arg/Cit cycle that can sustain NO production via continuous regeneration of the NOS substrate, L-arginine (Arg), from the NOS coproduct, L-citrulline (Cit). To assess whether NO synthesis can be rate-limited by Arg recycling, we tested whether AS-overexpressing cells have an enhanced capacity for immununostimulant-induced NO synthesis. Rat VSMC were stably transfected with human AS cDNA in a eukaryotic cell expression vector, driven by a strong viral promoter. AS activity in transfected VSMC exceeded that induced in untransfected cells treated for 24 h with a combination of bacterial lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma (LPS/IFN). AS activity was predominantly associated with membranes but was also found in cytosol. Recombinant AS was purified from cytosol and possessed a specific activity exceeding that reported for native AS. Western blotting verified the basal expression of AS antigen in membranes from untreated AS-transfected VSMC and from untransfected VSMC after 24 h exposure to LPS/IFN. Epifluorescence histochemistry revealed a punctate distribution of AS antigen in transfected cells, consistent with a predominant membrane localization. Remarkably, on a per cell basis, LPS/IFN-induced NO production was 3-4-fold greater in AS-transfected cells than untransfected VSMC. In untransfected VSMC, maximal NO production during 48 h required millimolar Arg; notably, Cit was needed at approximately 3-fold higher concentrations than Arg for a comparable NO synthesis rate. In contrast, AS-transfected VSMC utilized Arg and Cit equi-effectively and at much lower concentrations; 100 microM of either precursor supported a maximal rate of NO synthesis for 48 h. The enhanced ability of AS-transfected cells to produce NO, compared with untransfected cells, could not be ascribed to differences in iNOS protein content or LPS/IFN potency for immunoactivation. We conclude that transfection with AS provides a continuous flux of Arg which drives NO synthesis in immunoactivated VSMC. Arg regeneration by AS is rate-limiting to NO synthesis and apparently provides iNOS with a preferred cellular source of Arg. In accord with the reported "channeling" of substrates by urea cycle enzymes, we hypothesize that the Arg/Cit cycle sequesters a discrete pool of recyclable substrate that sustains high-output NO synthesis.
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PMID:Argininosuccinate synthetase overexpression in vascular smooth muscle cells potentiates immunostimulant-induced NO production. 919 76

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from arginine by nitric-oxide synthase (NOS), and citrulline that is generated can be recycled to arginine by argininosuccinate synthase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL). Rats were injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and expression of the inducible isoform of NOS (iNOS), AS and AL was analysed. In RNA blot analysis, iNOS mRNA was induced by LPS in the lung, heart, liver and spleen, and less strongly in the skeletal muscle and testis. AS and AL mRNAs were induced in the lung and spleen. Kinetic studies showed that iNOS mRNA increased rapidly in both spleen and lung, reached a maximum 2-5 h after the treatment, and decreased thereafter. On the other hand, AS mRNA increased more slowly and reached a maximum in 6-12 h (by about 10-fold in the spleen and 2-fold in the lung). AL mRNA in the spleen and lung increased slowly and remained high up to 24 h. In immunohistochemical analysis, macrophages in the spleen that were negative for iNOS and AS before LPS treatment were strongly positive for both iNOS and AS after this treatment. As iNOS, AS and AL were co-induced in rat tissues and cells, citrulline-arginine recycling seems to be important in NO synthesis under the conditions of stimulation. Arginine is a common substrate of NOS and arginase. Rat peritoneal macrophages were cultured in the presence of LPS and expression of iNOS and livertype arginase (arginase I) was analysed. mRNAs for iNOS and arginase I were induced by LPS in a dose-dependent manner. iNOS mRNA appeared 2 h after LPS treatment and increased up to a near-maximum at 8-12 h. On the other hand, arginase I mRNA began to increase after 4 h with a lag time and reached a maximum at 12 h. Immunoblot analysis showed that iNOS and arginase I proteins were also induced. Induction of iNOS and arginase I mRNAs were also observed in LPS-injected rats in vivo. Thus, arginase I appears to have an important role in downregulating NO synthesis in murine macrophages by decreasing the availability of arginine. A cDNA for human arginase II, an arginase isozyme, was isolated. A polypeptide of 354 amino acid residues including the putative NH2-terminal presequence for mitochondrial import was predicted. It was 59% identical with arginase I. mRNA for human arginase II was present in the kidney and other tissues but was not detected in the liver. Arginase II mRNA was co-induced with iNOS mRNA in murine macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells by LPS. This induction was enhanced by dexamethasone and dibutyrul cAMP, and was prevented by interferon-gamma. These results indicate that NO synthesis is regulated by arginine-synthesizing and -degrading enzymes in a complicated manner.
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PMID:Regulation of the urea cycle enzyme genes in nitric oxide synthesis. 968 45

Nitric oxide (NO) is involved in many physiological and pathological processes in the brain. NO is synthesized from arginine by nitric oxide synthase (NOS), with citrulline generated as a by-product of the reaction. Thus, citrulline can by recycled to arginine by argininosuccinate synthetase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL) via the citrulline-NO cycle. Rat astroglioma C6 cells were treated with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and the expression of the enzymes of the citrulline-NO cycle was investigated by RNA blot and immunoblot analyses. NO production from arginine and citrulline was also assessed. iNOS mRNA and protein were induced 6-12 h after stimulation with LPS and cytokines and decreased at 24 h. AS mRNA increased up to 12 h and decreased at 24 h. AS protein increased gradually up to 48 h. On the other hand, AL mRNA remained unchanged by stimulation. NO production from arginine was enhanced by the treatment with LPS and cytokines. NO production was also observed when arginine was replaced by citrulline. These results indicate that NO production is enhanced in LPS- and cytokine-stimulated C6 cells due to induction of iNOS and that the citrulline-arginine recycling is important for NO production.
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PMID:Expression of citrulline-nitric oxide cycle in lipopolysaccharide and cytokine-stimulated rat astroglioma C6 cells. 1059 89

Arginine is an intermediate of the urea cycle in the liver. It is synthesized by the first four enzymes of the cycle, carbamylphosphate synthetase I, ornithine transcarbamylase, argininosuccinate synthetase, and argininosuccinate lyase, and is hydrolyzed to urea and ornithine by arginase I, forming the cycle. In endotoxemia shock, inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) is induced in hepatocytes and arginine is utilized for NO production. Regulation of the genes for iNOS and the urea cycle enzymes was studied using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rat livers. When rats were injected intraperitoneally with LPS, iNOS mRNA was markedly induced. Cationic amino acid transporter-2 and C/EBPbeta mRNAs were also highly increased. In contrast, mRNAs for all the urea cycle enzymes except ornithine transcarbamylase were gradually decreased and reached 16-28% of controls at 12 h. However, all these enzymes remained unchanged at protein level up to 24 h. In light of these results, we suggest that synthesis of urea cycle enzymes is downregulated and that the protein synthetic capacity is directed to synthesis of proteins required for defense against endotoxemia.
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PMID:Regulation of genes for inducible nitric oxide synthase and urea cycle enzymes in rat liver in endotoxin shock. 1065 39

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized from arginine by NO synthase (NOS), and the availability of arginine is one of the rate-limiting factors in cellular NO production. Citrulline, which is formed as a by-product of the NOS reaction, can be recycled to arginine by successive actions of argininosuccinate synthetase (AS) and argininosuccinate lyase (AL), forming the citrulline-NO cycle. AS and sometimes AL have been shown to be coinduced with inducible NOS (iNOS) in various cell types including activated macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells, glial cells, neuronal PC12 cells, and pancreatic beta-cells. Cationic amino acid transporter (CAT)-2 is induced in activated macrophages but not in PC12 cells. On the other hand, arginase can downregulate NO production by decreasing intracellular arginine concentrations. iNOS and arginase activities are regulated reciprocally in macrophages by cytokines, and this may guarantee the efficient production of NO. In contrast, iNOS and arginase isoforms (type I and II) are coinduced in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages. These results indicate that NO production is modulated by the uptake, recycling, and degradation of arginine.
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PMID:Regulation of nitric oxide production by arginine metabolic enzymes. 1097 88

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in many physiological and pathological conditions in the eyes. The induction of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) and NO production have been noted in immunostimulated retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. Cellular NO production depends on the availability of arginine, a substrate for NOS. Arginine can be regenerated from citrulline, another product of the NOS reaction, by argininosuccinate synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase, forming the citrulline-NO cycle. When rat RPE-J cells were treated with interferon-gamma (IFNgamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and expression of the citrulline-NO cycle enzymes and related enzymes was analyzed, iNOS and argininosuccinate synthetase were highly induced at both mRNA and protein levels. On the other hand, argininosuccinate lyase was not induced. Among other related enzymes and transporters, mRNA for cationic amino acid transporter (CAT)-1 was weakly induced, whereas those for CAT-2, arginase I and II, ornithine aminotransferase and ornithine decarboxylase remained little changed. NO was produced by cells after stimulation with TNFalpha, IFNgamma and LPS. The induction of iNOS mRNA and the production of NO by these immunostimulated cells was further enhanced by cAMP. NO was produced from citrulline as well as from arginine. Our findings indicate that in activated RPE-J cells citrulline-arginine recycling is important for NO production.
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PMID:Induction of citrulline-nitric oxide (NO) cycle enzymes and NO production in immunostimulated rat RPE-J cells. 1258 71


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