Oxidation of N(G)-hydroxyl-L-arginine to nitric oxide mediated by respiratory burst: an alternative pathway to NO synthesis.

N(G)-Hydroxy-L-arginine is an intermediate metabolite in the synthesis of nitric oxide that is upregulated and secreted during acute inflammation in vivo. Previous reports have shown that chemically induced superoxide anion oxidizes N(G)-hydroxy-L-arginine to nitric oxide. Here, we demonstrate that this reaction takes place physiologically in phagocytic cells during the respiratory burst, and is independent of the presence of nitric oxide synthase.