Channeling of citrulline for the renal synthesis of guanidino acetate

Authors: MARINI, JUAN - CHILDREN'S NUTRITION RESEARCH CENTER (CNRC)

Submitted to: Journal of Nutrition
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/25/2019
Publication Date: 12/23/2019
Citation: Marini, J. 2019. Channeling of citrulline for the renal synthesis of guanidino acetate. Journal of Nutrition. 150(3):423-424. https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz310.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jn/nxz310

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Although protein synthesis dominates the requirements for dietary amino acids, the need of amino acids to meet the demand for the synthesis of other compounds is not negligible. This is especially true for the production of creatine which requires substantial amounts of arginine and methionine. The synthesis of guanidino acetate (GAA), the precursor for creatine, constitutes the main pathway for the obligatory irreversible loss of arginine consuming an equivalent to ~20% of the dietary intake. Alternatively, GAA can be made from citrulline, the endogenous precursor for arginine synthesis. The work highlighted here indicates that citrulline more effectively increases the production of GAA than arginine. These new data is an addition to the mounting body of evidence suggesting that citrulline is more effective at providing intracellular arginine and fueling different processes that require this amino acid.