HIGH-PERFORMANCE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE UNUSUAL PATHWAY OF OXIDATION OF L-ARGININE TO CITRULLINE AND NITRIC-OXIDE IN MAMMALIAN-CELLS

A very unusual pathway of the oxidation of L-arginine to citrulline and nitric oxide has been discovered recently in cytotoxic macrophages. In an attempt to detect molecules generated through this metabolic pathway, a fast radio high-performance liquid chromatographic method was developed to analyse the whole set of radiolabelled L-arginine-derived metabolites produced by mammalian cells after appropriate induction. A new intermediate which might be N(G)-hydroxy-L-arginine was found.