Metabolism of arginine by the isolated perfused rat kidney.

In order to evaluate the renal contribution to the metabolism of arginine, we have evaluated its biosynthesis and catabolism in the isolated perfused rat kidney. The kidneys of eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were perfused with Krebs-Ringer-bicarbonate buffer containing albumin and amino acids. Twenty-five muCi of L-[guanidino-14C]arginine or 25 muCi L-[guanidino-14C]citrulline were added to the system and radiochromatograms of the perfusate were obtained at 0, 30, 60, and 90 min. Perfusate levels of urea, creatine, and guanidine derivatives were measured with high-pressure liquid chromatography. During perfusion there was net utilization of arginine and net production of creatine, guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) and guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA). The guanidino carbon of arginine was incorporated by the kidney into urea, creatine GSA, GAA, and guanidinobutyric acid. The production of 14C-labeled urea from L-[guanidino-14C]citrulline was substantially lower than that previously demonstrated in the liver, while that of arginine was approximately 20 times greater. These studies demonstrate the important contribution of the kidney to the synthesis and metabolism of arginine.