In vitro anti-inflammatory effects of citrulline on peritoneal macrophages in Zucker diabetic fatty rats.

In type 2 diabetes (T2D) macrophage dysfunction increases susceptibility to infection and mortality. This may result from the associated decreased plasma concentration of arginine, an amino acid that plays an important role in immunity. In vitro, increasing arginine availability leads to an improvement in macrophage function; however, arginine supplementation in diabetic obese patients may be detrimental. The aim of the present study was to assess in vitro whether citrulline, an arginine precursor, could replace arginine in the regulation of macrophage function under a condition of diabetes and obesity. Peritoneal macrophages from diabetic obese or lean rats were incubated for 6 h in an arginine-free medium, in the presence of increasing citrulline concentrations (0·1, 0·5, 1 or 2 mmol/l). Cytokine and NO production was determined. Peritoneal macrophages from either lean or diabetic obese rats produced NO, and at higher levels in the cells from lean rats. In diabetic obese rats, TNF-α production decreased with increasing citrulline concentrations, but was higher than that in the cells from lean rats. In contrast, IL-6 production increased with increasing citrulline concentrations. The present experiment shows that citrulline is effectively used for NO production and regulates cytokine production in macrophages from diabetic obese rats. This effect warrants in vivo evaluation in T2D-related inflammation.

Arginine-supplemented enteral nutrition in critically ill diabetic and obese rats: a dose-ranging study evaluating nutritional status and macrophage function.

OBJECTIVE: Critically ill diabetic and obese patients are at high risk of complications. Arginine availability is lowered in diabetes and in stress situations, yet arginine is necessary for immune response, mainly by its action through nitric oxide (NO). These facts argue for arginine-supplemented diets in critically ill patients. However, studies have raised concerns about possible adverse effects of such diets in intensive-care patients. We therefore analyzed the metabolic and immunologic effects of an arginine-enriched diet in stressed diabetic-obese rats. METHODS: Zucker Diabetic Fatty rats (fa/fa) were made endotoxemic by an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide and then fed 4-d enteral nutrition enriched with arginine (ARG group) or a non-essential amino acid mix (NEAA group). The two groups each were subdivided into three subgroups: the ARG subgroups received 0.5 g (ARG0.5), 2 g (ARG2), and 5 g (ARG5) of arginine per kilogram daily, and the NEAA groups were made isonitrogenous with the corresponding ARG subgroups (NEAA0.5, NEAA2, and NEAA5). Plasma and urinary biomarkers were measured. Cytokine and NO production levels and inducible NO synthase and arginase protein levels were determined from peritoneal macrophages. RESULTS: The survival rate was lower in the ARG5 and NEAA5 subgroups than in all the other subgroups. The nitrogen balance was higher in the ARG5 group than in the NEAA5 group. Plasma triacylglycerol levels were lower in the ARG2 group than in the NEAA2 group. Interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and NO production in the macrophages decreased and arginase-1 was upregulated in the ARG-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: In this model, mortality was increased by the nitrogen burden rather than by arginine per se. Arginine improved nitrogen balance and had an anti-inflammatory action on macrophages by regulating NO production, probably through arginase-1 expression.

Arginine availability modulates arginine metabolism and TNFα production in peritoneal macrophages from Zucker Diabetic Fatty rats.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Excess weight and type 2 diabetes lead to increased susceptibility to infections. Our aim was to investigate the role of diabetes-induced decreased arginine (Arg) availability and of a possible dysregulation of Arg metabolism in macrophages favoring inflammation and dysimmunity via altered nitric oxide (NO) and cytokine productions. METHODS: Isolated peritoneal macrophages from Zucker Diabetic Fatty (ZDF) or lean rats were incubated with increasing Arg concentration (0-2 mM) and Arg metabolism and regulatory properties were studied. RESULTS: Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression did not vary with Arg concentration while NO production reached a maximum at 0.5 mM Arg, being significantly lower in macrophages from ZDF rats. Arginase I and II protein levels reached a maximum between 0.25 and 0.5 mM Arg in controls; in macrophages from ZDF rats arginase I was significantly lower and progressively increased up to 2 mM Arg while arginase II was not affected by Arg concentration. In parallel, Arg downregulated TNFα production in both groups and IL-6 only in control. CONCLUSIONS: This in vitro study shows that Arg metabolism is impaired in macrophages from diabetic-obese rats and that improving Arg availability for these cells restores NO production and contributes to the regulation of the inflammatory process.

Gastric bypass up-regulates insulin signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE: In the severely obese, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) reverses diabetes before body weight loss occurs. We determined changes in protein expression of insulin receptor (IR), its substrates (IRS1 and IRS2), and their phosphorylated state (p-IR and p-IRS1/2) in skeletal muscle (SM), liver and adipose tissue (AT), and GLUT4 in SM and AT, 14 and 28 d after RYGB to gaining insight into the time-related dynamics of insulin transduction pathway that may contribute to diabetes resolution. BACKGROUND: RYGB induces a rapid weight loss followed by a slower weight loss period, leading to reversal of diabetes. We hypothesize that diabetes reversal is due to RYGB-induced up-regulation of insulin signaling pathway. METHODS: Diet-induced obese rats had RYGB or sham-operation (obese-controls). Daily food intake, body weight, glucose, insulin, and adiponectin were measured. IR, IRS1, IRS2, p-IR, and p-IRS1/2 were measured in SM, liver, and AT and GLUT4 in SM and AT, 14 and 28 d after RYGB, respectively, reflecting the rapid and slower weight loss periods after RYGB. RESULTS: On day 14, in RYGB rats versus obese-controls, food intake, body weight, and fat mass decreased. Rats became normo-glycemic and had low insulin levels and elevated glucose:insulin ratio and decreased adiponectin concentrations. This persisted to day 28, except that adiponectin rose. No change in IR occurred on day 14, in RYGB rats versus obese-controls. By day 28 RYGB rats had a higher IR expression in SM and liver, but no changes in AT. RYGB induced a time-related increase in p-IR in liver and in pIRS1/2 in SM and liver. An increase in GLUT4 occurred by day 28 in SM and AT. CONCLUSIONS: Improvement in diabetes occurred after RYGB due to up-regulation in key insulin pathway proteins at several levels, predominantly in SM and liver in association with ongoing caloric restriction, body weight, and fat mass loss.