Biomaterial Database

Elevated arginase I expression in rat aortic smooth muscle cells increases cell proliferation. 2001

L H Wei, and G Wu, and S M Morris, and L J Ignarro

Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology, Center for the Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.

Arginase, which exists as the isoforms arginase I and II, catalyzes the hydrolysis of arginine to ornithine and urea. Ornithine is the principal precursor for production of polyamines, which are required for cell proliferation. Rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMC) contain constitutive arginase I, and arginase inhibitors cause inhibition of cell proliferation. The objective of this study was to determine whether the elevated expression of arginase I in RASMC causes increased cell proliferation. RASMC were stably transfected with either rat arginase I cDNA or a beta-galactosidase control expression plasmid. Western blots and arginase enzymatic assays revealed high-level expression of cytosolic arginase I in arginase I-transfected RASMC. Moreover, this observation was associated with the increased production of urea and polyamines and higher rates of RASMC proliferation. The two selective inhibitors of arginase, N(G)-hydroxy-l-arginine and S-(2-boronoethyl)-l-cysteine, inhibited arginase and decreased the production of urea and polyamines in arginase I-transfected RASMC, all of which were associated with the inhibition of cell proliferation. This study demonstrates that elevated arginase I expression increases RASMC proliferation by mechanisms involving increased production of polyamines. These observations suggest that arginase I plays a potentially important role in controlling RASMC proliferation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009131	Muscle, Smooth, Vascular	The nonstriated involuntary muscle tissue of blood vessels.	Vascular Smooth Muscle,Muscle, Vascular Smooth,Muscles, Vascular Smooth,Smooth Muscle, Vascular,Smooth Muscles, Vascular,Vascular Smooth Muscles
D002455	Cell Division	The fission of a CELL. It includes CYTOKINESIS, when the CYTOPLASM of a cell is divided, and CELL NUCLEUS DIVISION.	M Phase,Cell Division Phase,Cell Divisions,Division Phase, Cell,Division, Cell,Divisions, Cell,M Phases,Phase, Cell Division,Phase, M,Phases, M
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D004791	Enzyme Inhibitors	Compounds or agents that combine with an enzyme in such a manner as to prevent the normal substrate-enzyme combination and the catalytic reaction.	Enzyme Inhibitor,Inhibitor, Enzyme,Inhibitors, Enzyme
D005822	Genetic Vectors	DNA molecules capable of autonomous replication within a host cell and into which other DNA sequences can be inserted and thus amplified. Many are derived from PLASMIDS; BACTERIOPHAGES; or VIRUSES. They are used for transporting foreign genes into recipient cells. Genetic vectors possess a functional replicator site and contain GENETIC MARKERS to facilitate their selective recognition.	Cloning Vectors,Shuttle Vectors,Vectors, Genetic,Cloning Vector,Genetic Vector,Shuttle Vector,Vector, Cloning,Vector, Genetic,Vector, Shuttle,Vectors, Cloning,Vectors, Shuttle
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001011	Aorta	The main trunk of the systemic arteries.	Aortas
D001119	Arginase	A ureahydrolase that catalyzes the hydrolysis of arginine or canavanine to yield L-ornithine (ORNITHINE) and urea. Deficiency of this enzyme causes HYPERARGININEMIA. EC 3.5.3.1.	Arginase A1,Arginase A4,Hepatic Proliferation Inhibitor,Liver Immunoregulatory Protein,Liver-Derived Inhibitory Protein,Liver-Derived Lymphocyte Proliferation Inhibiting Protein,Immunoregulatory Protein, Liver,Inhibitor, Hepatic Proliferation,Inhibitory Protein, Liver-Derived,Liver Derived Inhibitory Protein,Liver Derived Lymphocyte Proliferation Inhibiting Protein,Proliferation Inhibitor, Hepatic,Protein, Liver Immunoregulatory,Protein, Liver-Derived Inhibitory
D014162	Transfection	The uptake of naked or purified DNA by CELLS, usually meaning the process as it occurs in eukaryotic cells. It is analogous to bacterial transformation (TRANSFORMATION, BACTERIAL) and both are routinely employed in GENE TRANSFER TECHNIQUES.	Transfections
D015317	Biogenic Polyamines	Biogenic amines having more than one amine group. These are long-chain aliphatic compounds that contain multiple amino and/or imino groups. Because of the linear arrangement of positive charge on these molecules, polyamines bind electrostatically to ribosomes, DNA, and RNA.	Polyamines, Biogenic