In hepatocytes the regulation of NOS-2 activity at physiological l-arginine levels suggests a close link to the urea cycle

High-output synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) by the inducible isoform of NO-synthases (NOS-2) plays an important role in hepatic pathophysiological processes and may contribute to both organ protection and organ destruction during inflammatory reactions. As they compete for the same substrate, l-arginine, an interdependence of NOS-2 and arginase-1 has been repeatedly observed in cells where arginase-1 is cytokine-inducible. However, in hepatocytes, arginases are constitutively expressed and thus, their impact on hepatic NOS-2-derived NO synthesis as well as the influence of l-arginine influx via cationic amino acid transporters during inflammatory reactions are still under debate. Freshly isolated rat hepatocytes were cultured for 24 h in the presence of various l-arginine concentrations with or without cytokine addition and nitrite and urea accumulation in culture supernatants was measured. We find that both, cytokine-induced NOS-2 and arginase activities strongly depend on extracellular l-arginine concentrations. When we competed for l-arginine influx via the cationic amino acid transporters by addition of l-lysine, we find a 60–70% inhibition of arginase activity without significant loss of NOS-2 activity. Addition of l-valine, as an arginase inhibitor, leads to a 25% increase in NO formation and an 80–90% decrease in arginase activity. Interestingly, product inhibition of arginase and competitive inhibition of CATs through the addition of l-ornithine leads to a highly significant increase in hepatocytic NOS-2 activity with a concomitant and complete abolishment of its dependence on extracellular l-arginine concentrations. In conclusion, hepatocytic NOS-2 activity shows a surprising pattern of dependence on exogenous l-arginine concentrations. Inhibition and competition experiments suggest a relatively tight link of NOS-2 and urea cycle activities. These data stress the hypothesis of a metabolon-like organization of the urea cycle together with NOS-2 in hepatocytes as excess l-ornithine will be metabolized to l-arginine and thereby increases NO production.