ARS | Publication request: ADMINISTRATION OF L-NITROARGININE INCREASES LIVER TRIGLYCERIDE CONTENT IN PIGLETS.

Submitted to: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: March 14, 2003
Publication Date: March 14, 2003
Citation: Villalpando, S.C., Jahoor, F., Butte, N.F., Mersmann, H.J., Stoll, B. 2003. Administration of L-nitroarginine increases liver triglyceride content in piglets. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology Journal. 17:A659.

Technical Abstract: To determinate the effect of iNOS blockade with L-Nitroarginine (L-Narg) on whole body and hepatic lipid metabolism in 17 days old piglets. Twenty four 2-day old male piglets were randomly assigned to 3 groups: group a) control, fed a high-fat replacement milk diet; group b) same diet plus 200 mg/kg L-Narg; group c) same as group b plus 400 mg/kg arginine (Arg). After 14 days the piglets received 6 hr intravenous infusions of NaH13CO3 and 1-13 C-K-palmitate to measure plasma palmitate flux and oxidation. Total fat oxidation was measured by indirect calorimetry over 24 hours. Liver tissue was harvested to measure triglyceride (TG) content, fatty acid (FA) oxidation and carnitine palymitoyl transferase (CPT) activity. Compared to controls, palmitate flux tended to be higher in groups b and c (b=201±52, c=345±129 versus a=177±65.4 µmol/kg/h p=ns). This was associated with higher whole body fat oxidation rates (b=6.5±0.2, c=9.1±0.4 versus a=2.8±0.3 g/min, p<0.01). Similarly; plasma palmitate oxidation rates were higher (group b=11.8+1.2, c=16.7±2.6 versus a=9.1±0.7 µmol/kg/h, p<0.02). Liver TG content was higher in group b despite higher CPT activity and FA oxidation when compared to the other groups. Blocking nitric oxide synthesis leads to increased hepatic TG content despite increased whole body and hepatic FA oxidation rates.