Stimulus-secretion coupling of arginine-induced insulin release. Metabolism of L-arginine and L-ornithine in pancreatic islets |
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Authors: | W J Malaisse F Blachier A Mourtada J Camara A Albor I Valverde A Sener |
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Institution: | Laboratory of Experimental Medicine, Brussels Free University, Belgium. |
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Abstract: | Exogenous L-arginine and L-ornithine rapidly accumulate in rat pancreatic islets. L-Arginine is converted to L-ornithine and urea. Endogenous or exogenous L-ornithine generates di- and polyamines, the putrescine turnover being faster than that of spermidine and spermine. However, the major pathway for L-ornithine metabolism consists of its transamination to L-glutamaldehyde and further conversion to L-glutamate. The amines and L-glutamate derived from exogenous L-ornithine are incorporated into islet proteins at the intervention of transglutaminase and cycloheximide-sensitive biosynthetic processes, respectively. These findings suggest the hypothesis that the insulinotropic action of L-arginine and L-ornithine could somehow be related to the metabolism of these cationic amino acids in islet cells. |
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