Evidence for the pre-synthesized state of secreted macrophage arginase: arginase activity cannot be modified in...

The arginase produced by peritoneal macrophages is not synthesized de novo in short-term (3 h) cultures after harvesting the cells. In long-term cultures the arginase synthesis is restored. In contrast to arginase lysozyme is continuously synthesized in short-term cultures. These statements were proved by the following experimental results: 1. Protein synthesis inhibitor and lysosomotropic agents did not alter the arginase level. 2. Arginine and its analogue, canavanine and ornithine were not able to change the arginase activity. 3. The product of an alternative metabolic pathway of arginine, sodium nitrite, did not affect arginase activity. 4. Effectors influencing the synthesis of cyclic nucleotides (cAMP, cGMP), indomethacin, sodium nitroprusside and an analogue of cAMP had no effect on the arginase activity. 5. Arginase activity could not be significantly modified either by an in vitro Micrococcus luteus treatment or by changing the adherence period of peritoneal exudate cells. 6. When arginase was produced in murine peritoneal macrophages at various periods with medium change, the total arginase released into the media from murine and rat macrophages did not exceed the original intracellular arginase content of the adhered cells during the first 6 hours.