Plasma and vascular tissue arginine are decreased in diabetes: acute arginine supplementation restores endothelium-dependent relaxation by augmenting cGMP production.

Arginine is a precursor amino acid for the synthesis of nitric oxide by nitric oxide synthase. A defect in arginine supply could regulate nitric oxide-mediated, endothelium-dependent relaxation. In this study, we evaluated the effect of supplementation with L-arginine given in vitro on both functional relaxation and cGMP generation in response to acetylcholine in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat aorta. The concentration of arginine in plasma and aortic tissue were both decreased by diabetes. Acute incubation in vitro with L-arginine augmented the impaired relaxation to acetylcholine in diabetic rings although not altering relaxation in control rings. L-Arginine also enhanced relaxation to acetylcholine in diabetic rings incubated in the presence of either indomethacin or tetraethylammonium to inhibit cyclooxygenase activity and potassium channel activity, respectively. Acetylcholine-stimulated cGMP generation (which was blocked by L-nitroarginine) was diminished in diabetic rings compared with control rings. L-Arginine restored cGMP in diabetic rings (with but not without endothelium) to levels similar to control rings. L-Arginine did not alter cGMP generated by nitroglycerin. Incubation with L-arginine had no effect on acetylcholine-stimulated cGMP generation in control rings (with and without endothelium). These data suggest a potential intracellular substrate deficiency in nitric oxide production by diabetic endothelium which can be overcome acutely in vitro by provision of substrate for nitric oxide synthase.