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Thymic Stimulatory Actions of Arginine
Author(s) -
Barbul Adrian,
Wasserkrug Hannah L.,
Sisto Donato A.,
Seifter Eli,
Rettura Giuseppe,
Levenson Stanley M.,
Efron Gershon
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.935
H-Index - 98
eISSN - 1941-2444
pISSN - 0148-6071
DOI - 10.1177/014860718000400502
Subject(s) - arginine , basal (medicine) , concanavalin a , medicine , endocrinology , stimulation , lymphocyte , biology , in vitro , chemistry , biochemistry , amino acid , insulin
Various arginine HC1 supplements (0.5–3%), half added to a basal commercial rodent chow (1.8% arginine) and half to the drinking water, were given to 8‐ to 9‐week‐old male CBA/J mice for 6 days. Control animals were fed the basal chow and drank tap water. All mice ate and drank ad libitum. Weight gain and food intake were similar in all groups. All arginine supplements increased significantly: thymic weight (average 22%), thymic lymphocyte content (average 45%), and the in vitro reactivity of thymic lymphocytes judged by the incorporation of 3 H‐leucine into the TCA‐precipitable protein fraction in response to stimulation by phytohemagglutinin and concanavalin A. All these thymic effects resulted from the 0.5% arginine hydrochloride supplement; further increases in arginine supplementation did not increase these effects. These data suggest that supplemental arginine may improve host defence mechanisms and thereby may play an important role in the care of severely injured or ill patients, since it is well established that their defense mechanisms are reduced.