Monica G Ferrini1, Andrea Abraham2, Sabine Nguyen2, Robert Luna2, Manuel Flores2, Jorge N Artaza3, Leslie Graciano2, Jacob Rajfer4. 1. Department of Health and Life Sciences, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. Electronic address: monicaferrini@cdrewu.edu. 2. Department of Health and Life Sciences, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 3. Department of Health and Life Sciences, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA. 4. Department of Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Nitric oxide (NO) is the intracellular chemical responsible for initiating a penile erection. Despite conflicting clinical data, it continues to be publicized and promoted that orally administered l-arginine, the putative substrate for NO, enhances the erectile response presumably by stimulating NO production by the corporal tissues resulting in an increase in cGMP production. To shed light on this issue, an in vitro study was conducted to explore the effect of direct exogenous administration of l-arginine as well as its precursor and metabolite, l-citrulline, on the NO-cGMP pathway within the cavernosal smooth muscle (CSM) cell. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CSM cells obtained from 8 to 10 week old Sprague-Dawley rats were grown in Dulbecco media with 20% fetal calf serum and then incubated with or without l-arginine (L-ARG) or l-citrulline (L-CIT) in a time course and dose-response manner. Sildenafil (0.4 mM), IBMX (1 mM), l-NAME (3 μM), ODQ (5 μM) and Deta Nonoate (10 μM) were used as either inhibitors or stimulators of the NO-cGMP pathway. mRNA and protein were extracted and used for the determination of the phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). PDE5 activity was determined by luminometry. cGMP content was determined by ELISA. Nitrite formation, an indicator of NO production, was measured in the cell culture media by a colorimetric assay. The cationic (CAT-1) and neutral (SNAT-1) amino acid transporters for L-ARG and L-CIT, respectively, were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: When compared to untreated CSM cells, incubation with 0.25-4.0 mM of L-ARG or 0.3-4.8 mM of L-CIT anywhere between 3 and 24 h did not result in any additional nitrite or cGMP production. The addition of l-NAME, IBMX or ODQ to these L-ARG and L-CIT treated cells did not alter these results. L-CIT but not L-ARG increased PDE5 mRNA and protein content as well as the activity of the PDE5 enzyme. Both CAT-1 and SNAT-1 were expressed in the CSM cells. CONCLUSIONS: This in vitro study demonstrates that exogenous administration of L-ARG or L-CIT failed to stimulate production of either NO or cGMP by the corporal CSM cells. A re-evaluation of the presumptive role of the exogenous administration of L-ARG in improving the synthesis of NO at least at the level of the CSM cells appears warranted.
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Nitric oxide (NO) is the intracellular chemical responsible for initiating a penile erection. Despite conflicting clinical data, it continues to be publicized and promoted that orally administered l-arginine, the putative substrate for NO, enhances the erectile response presumably by stimulating NO production by the corporal tissues resulting in an increase in cGMP production. To shed light on this issue, an in vitro study was conducted to explore the effect of direct exogenous administration of l-arginine as well as its precursor and metabolite, l-citrulline, on the NO-cGMP pathway within the cavernosal smooth muscle (CSM) cell. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CSM cells obtained from 8 to 10 week old Sprague-Dawley rats were grown in Dulbecco media with 20% fetal calf serum and then incubated with or without l-arginine (L-ARG) or l-citrulline (L-CIT) in a time course and dose-response manner. Sildenafil (0.4 mM), IBMX (1 mM), l-NAME (3 μM), ODQ (5 μM) and Deta Nonoate (10 μM) were used as either inhibitors or stimulators of the NO-cGMP pathway. mRNA and protein were extracted and used for the determination of the phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5). PDE5 activity was determined by luminometry. cGMP content was determined by ELISA. Nitrite formation, an indicator of NO production, was measured in the cell culture media by a colorimetric assay. The cationic (CAT-1) and neutral (SNAT-1) amino acid transporters for L-ARG and L-CIT, respectively, were determined by Western blot. RESULTS: When compared to untreated CSM cells, incubation with 0.25-4.0 mM of L-ARG or 0.3-4.8 mM of L-CIT anywhere between 3 and 24 h did not result in any additional nitrite or cGMP production. The addition of l-NAME, IBMX or ODQ to these L-ARG and L-CIT treated cells did not alter these results. L-CIT but not L-ARG increased PDE5 mRNA and protein content as well as the activity of the PDE5 enzyme. Both CAT-1 and SNAT-1 were expressed in the CSM cells. CONCLUSIONS: This in vitro study demonstrates that exogenous administration of L-ARG or L-CIT failed to stimulate production of either NO or cGMP by the corporal CSM cells. A re-evaluation of the presumptive role of the exogenous administration of L-ARG in improving the synthesis of NO at least at the level of the CSM cells appears warranted.
Authors: Luigi Cormio; Mario De Siati; Fabrizio Lorusso; Oscar Selvaggio; Lucia Mirabella; Francesca Sanguedolce; Giuseppe Carrieri Journal: Urology Date: 2011-01 Impact factor: 2.649