ARG2 explained

Arginase, type II is an arginase protein that in humans is encoded by the ARG2 gene.^[1]

Function

Arginase catalyzes the hydrolysis of arginine to ornithine and urea. At least two isoforms of mammalian arginase exists (types I and II, this enzyme) which differ in their tissue distribution, subcellular localization, immunologic crossreactivity and physiologic function. The type II isoform encoded by this gene, is located in the mitochondria and expressed in extra-hepatic tissues, especially kidney. The physiologic role of this isoform is poorly understood; it is thought to play a role in nitric oxide and polyamine metabolism. Transcript variants of the type II gene resulting from the use of alternative polyadenylation sites have been described.

Further reading

• Sankaralingam S, Xu H, Davidge ST . Arginase contributes to endothelial cell oxidative stress in response to plasma from women with preeclampsia . Cardiovascular Research . 85 . 1 . 194–203 . January 2010 . 19684035 . 10.1093/cvr/cvp277 . free .
• Krause BJ, Prieto CP, Muñoz-Urrutia E, San Martín S, Sobrevia L, Casanello P . Role of arginase-2 and eNOS in the differential vascular reactivity and hypoxia-induced endothelial response in umbilical arteries and veins . Placenta . 33 . 5 . 360–6 . May 2012 . 22391327 . 10.1016/j.placenta.2012.02.006 . 10533/131155 . free .
• Sousa MS, Latini FR, Monteiro HP, Cerutti JM . Arginase 2 and nitric oxide synthase: Pathways associated with the pathogenesis of thyroid tumors . Free Radical Biology & Medicine . 49 . 6 . 997–1007 . September 2010 . 20542107 . 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2010.06.006 . free .
• Gotoh T, Sonoki T, Nagasaki A, Terada K, Takiguchi M, Mori M . Molecular cloning of cDNA for nonhepatic mitochondrial arginase (arginase II) and comparison of its induction with nitric oxide synthase in a murine macrophage-like cell line . FEBS Letters . 395 . 2–3 . 119–22 . October 1996 . 8898077 . 10.1016/0014-5793(96)01015-0 . 11365908 . free .
• Rotondo R, Mastracci L, Piazza T, Barisione G, Fabbi M, Cassanello M, Costa R, Morandi B, Astigiano S, Cesario A, Sormani MP, Ferlazzo G, Grossi F, Ratto GB, Ferrini S, Frumento G . Arginase 2 is expressed by human lung cancer, but it neither induces immune suppression, nor affects disease progression . International Journal of Cancer . 123 . 5 . 1108–16 . September 2008 . 18528866 . 10.1002/ijc.23437 . free .
• Warnken M, Haag S, Matthiesen S, Juergens UR, Racké K . Species differences in expression pattern of arginase isoenzymes and differential effects of arginase inhibition on collagen synthesis in human and rat pulmonary fibroblasts . Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Archives of Pharmacology . 381 . 4 . 297–304 . April 2010 . 20107769 . 10.1007/s00210-009-0489-6 . 23774473 .
• Rodrigues Pereira N, Bandeira Moss M, Assumpção CR, Cardoso CB, Mann GE, Brunini TM, Mendes-Ribeiro AC . Oxidative stress, l-arginine-nitric oxide and arginase pathways in platelets from adolescents with anorexia nervosa . Blood Cells, Molecules & Diseases . 44 . 3 . 164–8 . March 2010 . 20071203 . 10.1016/j.bcmd.2009.12.003 .
• Bron L, Jandus C, Andrejevic-Blant S, Speiser DE, Monnier P, Romero P, Rivals JP . Prognostic value of arginase-II expression and regulatory T-cell infiltration in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma . International Journal of Cancer . 132 . 3 . E85-93 . February 2013 . 22815199 . 10.1002/ijc.27728 . 40117905 .
• Fiori LM, Gross JA, Turecki G . Effects of histone modifications on increased expression of polyamine biosynthetic genes in suicide . The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology . 15 . 8 . 1161–6 . September 2012 . 22008221 . 10.1017/S1461145711001520 . free .

Notes and References

1. Web site: Entrez Gene: Arginase, type II .