1pq3 | pdb_00001pq3
Human Arginase II: Crystal Structure and Physiological Role in Male and Female Sexual Arousal
Structural highlights
Function[ARGI2_HUMAN] May play a role in the regulation of extra-urea cycle arginine metabolism and also in down-regulation of nitric oxide synthesis. Extrahepatic arginase functions to regulate L-arginine bioavailability to NO synthase. Since NO synthase is found in the penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle, the clitoral corpus cavernosum and the vagina, arginase II plays a role in both male and female sexual arousal. It is therefore a potential target for the treatment of male and female sexual arousal disorders. Evolutionary Conservation Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf. Publication Abstract from PubMedArginase is a binuclear manganese metalloenzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of l-arginine to form l-ornithine and urea. The X-ray crystal structure of a fully active, truncated form of human arginase II complexed with a boronic acid transition state analogue inhibitor has been determined at 2.7 A resolution. This structure is consistent with the hydrolysis of l-arginine through a metal-activated hydroxide mechanism. Given that human arginase II appears to play a role in regulating l-arginine bioavailability to NO synthase in human penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle, the inhibition of human arginase II is a potential new strategy for the treatment of erectile dysfunction [Kim, N. N., Cox, J. D., Baggio, R. F., Emig, F. A., Mistry, S., Harper, S. L., Speicher, D. W., Morris, S. M., Ash, D. E., Traish, A. M., and Christianson, D. W. (2001) Biochemistry 40, 2678-2688]. Since NO synthase is found in human clitoral corpus cavernosum and vagina, we hypothesized that human arginase II is similarly present in these tissues and functions to regulate l-arginine bioavailability to NO synthase. Accordingly, hemodynamic studies conducted with a boronic acid arginase inhibitor in vivo are summarized, suggesting that the extrahepatic arginase plays a role in both male and female sexual arousal. Therefore, arginase II is a potential target for the treatment of male and female sexual arousal disorders. Human arginase II: crystal structure and physiological role in male and female sexual arousal.,Cama E, Colleluori DM, Emig FA, Shin H, Kim SW, Kim NN, Traish AM, Ash DE, Christianson DW Biochemistry. 2003 Jul 22;42(28):8445-51. PMID:12859189[1] From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. See AlsoReferences
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