Acute glomerular upregulation of ornithine decarboxylase is not essential for mesangial cell proliferation and matrix expansion in anti-Thy-1-nephritis

Pathways of L-arginine metabolism including nitric oxide, agmatine and polyamine synthesis are upregulated during glomerular inflammation in experimental glomerulonephritis. In anti-Thy-1-glomerulonephritis L-arginine-deficient diets ameliorate the disease course in this model. However, it is unclear which metabolic pathway is affected by this substrate depletion. Since polyamines are important proproliferative molecules, we studied the effect of specific polyamine synthesis blockade in vivo on mesangial cell proliferation and glomerular fibrosis in this model.