L-arginine deficiency causes suppression of nonadrenergic noncholinergic nerve-mediated smooth muscle relaxation: role of L-citrulline recycling

Studies were performed on the internal anal sphincter (IAS) smooth muscle strips obtained from opossums (Didelphis virginiana). Isometric tension and L-arginine levels of the tissues were measured under basal conditions, in the presence of electrical field stimulation (EFS) and after treatment with different concentrations of arginase. For the nonadrenergic noncholinergic nerve stimulation, short trains (4 sec) as well as continuous EFS were used. During continuous EFS, after the initial IAS relaxation, the response began to fade within several min to approximately 80% recovery of the basal tone. We also examined the influence of L-arginine and L-citrulline on these responses. For some studies, the tissues were pretreated with L-glutamine (an inhibitor of L-citrulline uptake), L-glutamate or N(G)-hydroxy-L-arginine (an inhibitor of arginase). Interestingly, the basal levels of L-arginine were found to be significantly higher in the IAS (tonic smooth muscle) than in the rectal (phasic smooth muscle) smooth muscle. Arginase caused a concentration-dependent attenuation of the IAS relaxation caused by EFS. L-Citrulline and L-arginine were equipotent in reversing the attenuation. Both arginase (60 min pretreatment) and continuous EFS (tissues collected at the time of maximal recovery of the basal IAS tone after the initial relaxation) caused significant decreases in L-arginine levels. The decreases in the levels of L-arginine were restored by the exogenous administration of either L-arginine or L-citrulline. The restoration of L-arginine levels by L-citrulline but not by L-arginine was selectively blocked by L-glutamine. Furthermore, the IAS relaxation, attenuated by arginase was unaffected by L-glutamine but was restored by N-hydroxy-L-arginine pretreatment. The studies suggest that L-citrulline-L-arginine recycling may play a significant role in the maintenance of IAS relaxation in response to nonadrenergic noncholinergic nerve stimulation.