Regulatory role of arginase I and II in nitric oxide, polyamine, and proline syntheses in endothelial cells

Endothelial cells (EC) metabolize L-arginine mainly by arginase, which exists as two distinct isoforms, arginase I and II. To understand the roles of arginase isoforms in EC arginine metabolism, bovine coronary venular EC were stably transfected with the Escherichia coli lacZ gene (lacZ-EC, control), rat arginase I cDNA (AI-EC), or mouse arginase II cDNA (AII-EC). Western blots and enzymatic assays confirmed high-level expression of arginase I in the cytosol of AI-EC and of arginase II in mitochondria of AII-EC. For determining arginine catabolism, EC were cultured for 24 h in DMEM containing 0.4 mM L-arginine plus [1-C-14] arginine. Urea formation, which accounted for nearly all arginine consumption by these cells, was enhanced by 616 and 157% in AI-EC and AII-EC, respectively, compared with lacZ-EC. Arginine uptake was 31-33% greater in AI-EC and AII-EC than in lacZ-EC. Intracellular arginine content was 25 and 11% lower in AI-EC and AII-EC, respectively, compared with lacZ-EC. Basal nitric oxide (NO) production was reduced by 60% in AI-EC and by 47% in AII-EC. Glutamate and proline production from arginine increased by 164 and 928% in AI-EC and by 79 and 295% in AII-EC, respectively, compared with lacZ-EC. Intracellular content of putrescine and spermidine was increased by 275 and 53% in AI-EC and by 158 and 43% in AII-EC, respectively, compared with lacZ-EC. Our results indicate that arginase expression can modulate NO synthesis in bovine venular EC and that basal levels of arginase I and II are limiting for endothelial syntheses of polyamines, proline, and glutamate and may have important implications for wound healing, angiogenesis, and cardiovascular function.