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Review
. 2020 Dec 8;9(12):3975.
doi: 10.3390/jcm9123975.

Transport of L-Arginine Related Cardiovascular Risk Markers

Sofna Banjarnahor  1   2 , Roman N Rodionov  3   4 , Jörg König  1 , Renke Maas  1
Affiliations
Review

Transport of L-Arginine Related Cardiovascular Risk Markers

Sofna Banjarnahor et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

L-arginine and its derivatives, asymmetric and symmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA and SDMA) and L-homoarginine, have emerged as cardiovascular biomarkers linked to cardiovascular outcomes and various metabolic and functional pathways such as NO-mediated endothelial function. Cellular uptake and efflux of L-arginine and its derivatives are facilitated by transport proteins. In this respect the cationic amino acid transporters CAT1 and CAT2 (SLC7A1 and SLC7A2) and the system y+L amino acid transporters (SLC7A6 and SLC7A7) have been most extensively investigated, so far, but the number of transporters shown to mediate the transport of L-arginine and its derivatives is constantly increasing. In the present review we assess the growing body of evidence regarding the function, expression, and clinical relevance of these transporters and their possible relation to cardiovascular diseases.

Keywords: ADMA; L-arginine; L-homoarginine; SDMA; transport.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic diagram of known L-arginine and its derivatives transporters.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Transport of L-arginine and its derivatives in different cell types. Arrow indicates the direction of transport. ATB0,+: amino acid transporter responsible for the activity of system B0,+; CAT1: cationic amino acid transporter 1; CAT2A and CAT2B: cationic amino acid transporters 2A and 2B; MATE1: multidrug and toxin extrusion protein 1; OATP4C1: organic anion-transporting polypeptide 4C1; OCT2: organic cation transporter 2; ORNT1: ornithine transporter 1; ORNT2: ornithine transporter 2; ORNT3: ornithine transporter 3; P-gp: P-glycoprotein; SNAT7: sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 4; SNAT7: sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 7; SNAT8: sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporter 8; y+LAT1: system y+L amino acid transporter 1; 4F2hc: 4F2 cell surface antigen heavy chain; y+LAT2: system y+L amino acid transporter 2.
Figure 3
Figure 3
A schematic diagram of the possible interrelation of the transport of L-arginine and its derivatives and nitric oxide (NO) signaling in the vasculature.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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