The Influence of Homoarginine and β-Aminoisobutyric Acid on Migration and Proliferation of Smooth Muscle Cells of Rat Aorta.

Non-protein amino acids homoarginine (hArg) and β-aminoisobutyric acid (BAIBA) inhibit atherogenesis by weakening the inflammatory response in the vascular wall. The influence of these amino acids on growth factor-induced migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMC) of rat aorta was studied in vitro. It was found that hArg and BAIBA did not affect these processes, though the latter were suppressed by NO. Thus, hArg and BAIBA do not directly affect the migration and proliferation of aortic SMC, but can affect these processes indirectly through hArg modulation of NO production by endothelial cells, and, probably, due to the anti-inflammatory properties of these amino acids.