Related Experiment Videos
Arginine availability, arginase, and the immune response
1Department of Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|February 18, 2003
Summary
Arginase activity regulates arginine availability, impacting immune cell function and inflammation in critically ill patients. Understanding this mechanism is key for immunonutrition strategies.
Area of Science:
- Immunonutrition
- Cellular immunology
- Critical care medicine
Background:
- Arginine is a key modulator of immune system activation, crucial in immunonutrition.
- The precise mechanisms by which arginine benefits critically ill patients are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the importance of arginine and its metabolism.
- To elucidate the physiological role of arginine in critically ill and immunocompromised patients.
Main Methods:
- Review of literature on arginine metabolism and immune function.
- Analysis of arginine metabolizing enzymes: inducible nitric oxide synthase and arginase isoforms (I and II).
Main Results:
- Arginase regulates arginine availability, influencing nitric oxide synthase activity and polyamine production.
- Arginase activity is induced by various cytokines and endotoxin, affecting cellular proliferation and wound healing.
- Arginase may modulate T-lymphocyte activation by limiting extracellular arginine.
Conclusions:
- Arginase activity is crucial for regulating arginine availability during critical illness.
- Arginase expression is essential for controlling the cellular immune response and inflammation in critical illness.