BIOMAT Database Logo BIOMAT Database Logo

Changes in nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine, and metabolites, nitrate and nitrite, with aging. 1994

J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216.

The present study was performed to test the hypothesis that excretion of nitric oxide metabolites, nitrate and nitrite, are decreased with progressive aging in rats and that a decrease in nitric oxide precursor, L-arginine, also decreases with aging. Urinary nitrate/nitrite excretory rates and serum L-arginine levels were measured in male Sprague Dawley rats, ranging in ages from 3 to 25 months. Proteinuria increased dramatically with aging. Conversely, urinary nitrate/nitrite excretion decreased by 50% and 80% in rats, aged 12 months and 17 months, respectively. There was no further decrease in urinary nitrate/nitrite excretion in very old rats, aged 23-24 months. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was also measured in some of the rats, aged 3-5 mos and 17 mos. GFR was not different between old and young rats, suggesting that a decrease in GFR could not account for the decrease in urinary nitrate/nitrite excretion in the old rats. However, serum L-arginine levels were decreased with aging, by 30% and 50% in rats, aged 13-15 months and 24-25 months, respectively, when compared with young rats. These data confirm our hypothesis and suggest that nitric oxide (NO) production may decrease with aging and that one mechanism by which nitric oxide production could be decreased with age is a lack of the endogenous substrate, L-arginine. Because NO has been implicated to be involved in many physiological processes, age-related decreases in NO production could have far-reaching adverse effects in the aging individual.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D009566 Nitrates Inorganic or organic salts and esters of nitric acid. These compounds contain the NO3- radical. Nitrate
D009569 Nitric Oxide A free radical gas produced endogenously by a variety of mammalian cells, synthesized from ARGININE by NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE. Nitric oxide is one of the ENDOTHELIUM-DEPENDENT RELAXING FACTORS released by the vascular endothelium and mediates VASODILATION. It also inhibits platelet aggregation, induces disaggregation of aggregated platelets, and inhibits platelet adhesion to the vascular endothelium. Nitric oxide activates cytosolic GUANYLATE CYCLASE and thus elevates intracellular levels of CYCLIC GMP. Endogenous Nitrate Vasodilator,Mononitrogen Monoxide,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium-Derived,Nitrogen Monoxide,Endothelium-Derived Nitric Oxide,Monoxide, Mononitrogen,Monoxide, Nitrogen,Nitrate Vasodilator, Endogenous,Nitric Oxide, Endothelium Derived,Oxide, Nitric,Vasodilator, Endogenous Nitrate
D009573 Nitrites Salts of nitrous acid or compounds containing the group NO2-. The inorganic nitrites of the type MNO2 (where M Nitrite
D011507 Proteinuria The presence of proteins in the urine, an indicator of KIDNEY DISEASES. Proteinurias
D005215 Fasting Abstaining from FOOD. Hunger Strike,Hunger Strikes,Strike, Hunger,Strikes, Hunger
D005919 Glomerular Filtration Rate The volume of water filtered out of plasma through glomerular capillary walls into Bowman's capsules per unit of time. It is considered to be equivalent to INULIN clearance. Filtration Rate, Glomerular,Filtration Rates, Glomerular,Glomerular Filtration Rates,Rate, Glomerular Filtration,Rates, Glomerular Filtration
D000375 Aging The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time. Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
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
D001120 Arginine An essential amino acid that is physiologically active in the L-form. Arginine Hydrochloride,Arginine, L-Isomer,DL-Arginine Acetate, Monohydrate,L-Arginine,Arginine, L Isomer,DL Arginine Acetate, Monohydrate,Hydrochloride, Arginine,L Arginine,L-Isomer Arginine,Monohydrate DL-Arginine Acetate

Related Publications

J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Age-associated changes in nitric oxide metabolites nitrite and nitrate.
January 2000, International journal of clinical & laboratory research,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Macrophage oxidation of L-arginine to nitrite and nitrate: nitric oxide is an intermediate.
November 1988, Biochemistry,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate) in several clinical condition.
January 2014, Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Oxidation of nitric oxide in aqueous solution to nitrite but not nitrate: comparison with enzymatically formed nitric oxide from L-arginine.
September 1993, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Nitric oxide metabolites (nitrite and nitrate) in young patients with recent acute myocardial infarction.
January 2008, Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Macrophage oxidation of L-arginine to nitric oxide, nitrite, and nitrate. Tetrahydrobiopterin is required as a cofactor.
November 1989, The Journal of biological chemistry,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase by L-arginine metabolites.
May 1995, Biochemical Society transactions,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Biotransformation of nitric oxide, nitrite and nitrate.
January 1983, International archives of occupational and environmental health,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Vascular regulation by the L-arginine metabolites, nitric oxide and agmatine.
May 2004, Pharmacological research,
J F Reckelhoff, and J A Kellum, and E J Blanchard, and E E Bacon, and A J Wesley, and W C Kruckeberg
Cardiovascular effects of L-arginine as physiological precursor of nitric oxide.
January 1994, Romanian journal of internal medicine = Revue roumaine de medecine interne,
Copied contents to your clipboard!