Description
L-Homoarginine is an uncompetitive and organ-specific inhibitor of alkaline phosphatases. This non-essential amino acid inhibits human bone and liver alkaline phosphatases but has no effect on placental or intestinal isoenzymes.
In vitro, L-homoarginine inhibits [
3H]thymidine uptake by mouse myeloma MOPC 104E cells and inhibits proliferation of C3H/He mouse osteosarcoma cells. Pre-treatment with L-homoarginine delays
in vivo tumor growth in a murine C3H/He osteosarcoma model. It also inhibits high-protein diet-induced pancreatic growth and enzyme secretion in bile-pancreatic juice-diverted rats, a model for the induction of pancreatic enzyme secretion with hypercholecystokininemia.
Uses
An inhibitor of alkaline phosphatase isoenzymes. It is also an inhibitor of cellular transport of arginine by a sodium-independent high affinity y+ transporter. The substitution of homoarginine for arginine or lysine renders proteins resistant to proteolysis by trypsin. Arginine residues are often located at the active centers of proteins and enzymes. Replacing these arginines with homoarginine can elucidate protein function and structural requirements.
