Stimulus-secretion coupling of arginine-induced insulin release. Metabolism of L-arginine and L-ornithine in pancreatic islets.

Exogenous L-arginine and L-ornithine rapidly accumulate in rat pancreatic islets. L-Arginine is converted to L-ornithine and urea. Endogenous or exogenous L-ornithine generates di- and polyamines, the putrescine turnover being faster than that of spermidine and spermine. However, the major pathway for L-ornithine metabolism consists of its transamination to L-glutamaldehyde and further conversion to L-glutamate. The amines and L-glutamate derived from exogenous L-ornithine are incorporated into islet proteins at the intervention of transglutaminase and cycloheximide-sensitive biosynthetic processes, respectively. These findings suggest the hypothesis that the insulinotropic action of L-arginine and L-ornithine could somehow be related to the metabolism of these cationic amino acids in islet cells.