Abstract
We previously demonstrated that enteral arginine increased c-Jun/activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA-binding activity and iNOS expression in a rodent model of mesenteric ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). The objective of this study was to specifically investigate the role of AP-1 in arginine's deleterious effect on the postischemic gut. We hypothesized that AP-1 inhibition would mitigate the effects of arginine. Using a rodent model of mesenteric I/R we demonstrated that gut neutrophil infiltration, activity of c-Jun/AP-1, as well as iNOS expression were increased by I/R and further increased by arginine while lessened by inhibition of c-Jun using the pharmacologic c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor, SP600125. Similar results were demonstrated using a cell culture model of oxidant stress in IEC-6 cells. Importantly, effects of SP600125 were comparable to those of c-Jun silencing. Lastly, the specific iNOS inhibitor, 1400W, had no effect on either AP-1 or c-Jun. In conclusion, SP600125 attenuated the activity of c-Jun/AP-1, iNOS expression, and neutrophil infiltration induced by arginine following mesenteric I/R. Our data suggest that AP-1 inhibition mitigates the injurious inflammatory effects of arginine in the postischemic gut. Further investigation into the pathologic role of enteral arginine in the postischemic gut is warranted.