Arginine (L-Arginine) LC–MS/MS Analysis Service

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Why Analyze Arginine?

L-Arginine is a central amino acid involved in:

Urea cycle – ammonia detoxification and nitrogen excretion
NO (nitric oxide) synthesis – vascular tone, immune response, neuronal signaling
Creatine and polyamine synthesis – energy metabolism and cell proliferation
Proline, glutamate and related pathways – tissue repair and redox balance

Changes in arginine metabolism are closely linked to:

Tumor and immune metabolism
Inflammation and endothelial function
Liver and kidney function
Nutritional status and animal performance
Plant stress responses and microbial metabolism

Instead of measuring arginine alone, our targeted panel allows you to monitor arginine together with its key metabolites, giving you pathway-level insight rather than a single number.

Creative Proteomics provides a LC–MS/MS and HRAM LC–MS platform for targeted and absolute quantification of arginine across diverse biological and nutritional matrices. Our method supports high sensitivity, multi-metabolite coverage, and publication-ready reporting for mechanism studies and non-clinical R&D.

Key Research Applications of Arginine Quantification

Mechanistic Studies of Arginine Metabolism, Urea Cycle and NO Pathway

Used in basic and translational research where arginine is a key metabolic node.

Typical applications:

Quantifying arginine, citrulline, ornithine and urea to assess urea cycle function
Monitoring NO-related metabolites in cardiovascular, immune and neural models
Comparing pathway activity under genetic, dietary or pharmacological interventions

Targeted Validation After Untargeted Metabolomics

For projects where arginine pathways were first identified in discovery metabolomics.

Typical applications:

Confirming changes in arginine and related metabolites from untargeted datasets
Obtaining absolute or relative concentrations for key pathway readouts
Extending findings to larger sample sets, time points or independent cohorts

Preclinical Pharmacology and PK/PD Studies

For drug candidates that affect arginine, NO signaling or nitrogen handling.

Typical applications:

Time-course profiling of arginine and intermediates in animal PK/PD studies
Assessing effects on NO formation, urea cycle activity, ADMA/SDMA and related markers
Characterizing metabolic responses in target and off-target tissues in efficacy or safety studies

Nutrition, Functional Foods and Supplementation Research

Supports projects involving arginine-containing formulations and nutritional interventions.

Typical applications:

Measuring arginine content and stability in ingredients and finished products
Monitoring plasma, serum, urine or tissue arginine profiles before and after intake
Comparing different formulations, doses or dosing regimens at the metabolic level

Animal Nutrition, Livestock and Aquaculture

Applied in feed formulation and animal performance studies.

Typical applications:

Verifying dietary arginine levels in feed and diet samples
Relating dietary supply to arginine and urea cycle metabolites in plasma and tissues
Evaluating nutritional strategies for growth, feed efficiency and health outcomes

Plant and Microbial Arginine Metabolism (Advanced)

For plant physiology, microbial metabolism and process development.

Typical applications:

Profiling arginine and related metabolites in plant tissues under stress or treatment
Monitoring arginine utilization in microbial cultures and fermentation systems
Supporting labeled-arginine tracing and flux analysis (where applicable)

Arginine Metabolites We Can Quantify

Standard Research Panels

Pathway / Module	Representative metabolites*	Typical research focus (examples)
Urea cycle	L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, L-Ornithine, Urea, Argininosuccinate	Urea cycle function, nitrogen disposal, hepatic or renal metabolism
Nitric oxide (NO) pathway	L-Arginine, L-Citrulline, ADMA, SDMA, selected NO-related species (e.g., nitrite, nitrate)	Vascular tone, endothelial function, immune and inflammatory models
Polyamine pathway	Putrescine, Spermidine, Spermine, precursor and degradation intermediates	Cell proliferation, immune activation, tumor metabolism, stress
Creatine and guanidino compounds	Guanidinoacetate, Creatine, Creatinine	Energy metabolism, muscle physiology, organ function assessment
Arginine methylation and related species	ADMA, SDMA, other methylated arginine derivatives	Methylation status, cardiovascular risk markers (research only)
Extended arginine-related metabolites	Additional arginine-linked amino acids and small molecules, as requested	Custom panels for specific pathways or project-driven hypotheses

*Representative list only. The final analyte panel depends on platform availability and project design.

Customized Panels

If you already have a target list (e.g., from literature or an untargeted study), we can:

Check standard and method availability for each metabolite
Propose a custom arginine-focused panel aligned with your model and sample type
Adjust calibration range and QC design according to expected concentration levels

Why Choose Creative Proteomics for Arginine Analysis?

Arginine-focused expertise
Dedicated methods for arginine, urea cycle, NO pathway, polyamines and related markers – not just a generic amino acid panel.
Fit-for-purpose LC–MS/MS platforms
Triple-quadrupole LC–MS/MS with optimized sample prep for plasma/serum, tissues, cells, food, feed, plant and microbial matrices.
Standard panels + easy customization
Ready-to-use panels for metabolism, PK/PD, nutrition, animal and plant studies, with flexible add-on targets based on your project.
Controlled data quality
Internal standards, QC samples and standardized SOPs to ensure sensitivity, linearity and reproducibility across batches.

Analytical Platforms & Methodology

Core instruments

LC–MS/MS (triple quadrupole)

Routine absolute quantification of L-arginine and core pathway metabolites using MRM methods on triple quadrupole platforms (e.g., Agilent 6495C). Ideal for plasma, tissues, cell extracts, large cohorts, and PK/PD time courses.

High-resolution LC–MS (Orbitrap/Q-TOF)

Extended arginine-related panels and complex matrices (plant tissues, fermentation broth, food/feed) on Orbitrap-class or Q-TOF instruments (e.g., Q Exactive HF-X). Well suited for custom panels and integration with untargeted metabolomics.

For high-arginine formulations or routine content checks, HPLC-UV or FLD can be used as a simple orthogonal assay alongside LC–MS data.

Method Performance and QC Parameters

Parameter	Typical value / range*	Notes
Calibration range	From low nM up to high µM (matrix-dependent)	Covers basal and stimulated / treated conditions
Linearity (R²)	≥ 0.99 across the validated range	For most core metabolites under optimized conditions
LOD / LOQ	Down to low nM levels in plasma and tissues	Exact values reported per analyte and matrix
Precision (CV%)	Intra-batch ≤ 10%; inter-batch ≤ 15% (typical)	Evaluated using QC and pooled samples
Accuracy / recovery	Typically 80–120% in validated matrices	Based on spiked and matrix-matched standards
QC frequency	Pooled QC every 10–15 samples; batch-level checks	Monitors drift and supports large cohort designs

*Values are representative and may vary by analyte, matrix, and project design. Detailed method parameters can be provided in the final report on request. All assays are for research use only and are not intended for diagnostic applications.

Agilent 6495C Triple Quadrupole (Figure from Agilent)

Agilent 1260 Infinity II HPLC (Fig from Agilent)

Q Exactive HF-X MS (Fig from Thermo)

Arginine Targeted Quantification Workflow

Project discussion and panel design
Define study goals, sample matrices, and target metabolites.
Sample preparation and extraction
Apply matrix-specific extraction, cleanup, or derivatization steps when necessary.
Instrumental analysis
Perform LC–MS/MS or HRAM LC–MS acquisition with validated conditions.
Quantification and QC validation
Integrate peaks, check calibration, evaluate QC points, and ensure data quality.
Reporting and optional data interpretation
Deliver structured tables, pathway summaries, and visual data outputs.

Arginine Analysis Service Workflow

Sample Types & Recommended Amounts for Arginine Analysis

Sample type	Recommended amount (per sample)	Container & storage	Notes
Plasma / Serum	≥ 150–200 µL	1.5 mL microtube, –80°C	Separate within 2 h; avoid hemolysis; record fasting/status if needed
Whole blood (for plasma/serum prep)	≥ 1–2 mL	EDTA / heparin / serum tube, 4°C → –80°C	Centrifuge promptly; prepare plasma/serum before shipment
Urine	≥ 0.5–1 mL	1.5–2 mL tube, –80°C	Mix well; no preservatives unless agreed in advance
Tissue (animal / human, incl. tumor)	≥ 30–50 mg	Cryovial, snap-frozen, –80°C	Rinse briefly if needed, blot dry; note tissue type and treatment
Cultured cells	≥ 1–5 × 10⁶ cells	Cell pellet in tube, –80°C	Remove medium, wash with cold PBS, remove supernatant completely
Cell culture supernatant / medium	≥ 500 µL	1.5–2 mL tube, –80°C	Clarify by centrifugation; record cell line, density, time point
CSF / other low-volume fluids	≥ 50–100 µL	Low-bind tube, –80°C	Indicate available volume in advance; avoid repeated freeze–thaw
Food / nutrition products (solid)	≥ 100–200 mg	Sealed tube or bag, 4°C / –20°C*	Homogenized; representative of batch; avoid adding amino acid preservatives
Food / nutrition products (liquid)	≥ 0.5–1 mL	Tightly sealed tube, 4°C / –20°C	Mix well; avoid repeated freeze–thaw
Feed / diet samples	≥ 100–200 mg	Sealed bag or tube, dry, room temp / 4°C	Mix thoroughly; avoid amino acid preservatives unless pre-agreed
Plant tissues (leaf, root, seed, etc.)	≥ 50–100 mg	Cryovial, liquid N₂ snap-freeze, –80°C	Remove surface moisture; record species, tissue and growth stage
Fermentation broth / microbial sup.	≥ 0.5–1 mL	1.5–2 mL tube, –80°C	Mix thoroughly; centrifuge if heavy particulates
Microbial pellets	Pellet from ≥ 10–20 mL culture	Cryovial, snap-frozen, –80°C	Remove supernatant completely; note strain and culture conditions
Other / special matrices	Please inquire	To be defined case-by-case	We will provide specific instructions during project setup

Arginine Analysis Data Deliverables & Reporting

Standard data package

Raw LC–MS/MS data files (instrument-specific formats; open formats on request).

Processed data tables (Excel/CSV) including:

Sample IDs and metadata
Analyte names
Quantitative results (concentrations or normalized signals)

Brief technical summary describing platform, methods and QC approach.

Optional enhancements

QC summary reports (precision, stability, batch performance).

Simple statistics and visualizations (e.g., group comparisons, trend plots, heatmaps, PCA).

Pathway-focused comments concentrating on arginine, urea cycle, NO-related metabolites and polyamines.

Support in integrating arginine data with your existing experimental endpoints.

Overlaid MRM chromatograms showing arginine pathway metabolites and arginine peaks in different matrices.

MRM chromatograms for arginine and related metabolites. (A) Multiple metabolites in one run. (B) Arginine in plasma, tissue and cell lysate with consistent retention time.

LC–MS/MS calibration curves for arginine and related metabolites demonstrating excellent linearity.

Calibration curves for arginine and key metabolites. (A) Arginine with R² = 0.999 over 0.5–1000 ng/mL. (B) Citrulline, ornithine and ADMA with similarly high linearity.

What extra value does an arginine panel give beyond a single arginine measurement?

Instead of only reporting arginine concentration, a targeted panel shows how arginine, citrulline, ornithine, urea, ADMA/SDMA and related metabolites move together, so you can see whether the urea cycle, NO pathway, methylation or polyamine metabolism is being reshaped in your model.

Can ADMA, SDMA and other methylated arginine species be measured in the same assay?

Yes; in most projects we quantify arginine together with key urea-cycle and methylated arginine species in one LC–MS/MS run, and if you need additional derivatives we check feasibility and either include them in the same method or propose a small add-on panel.

What if I only have very small sample volumes or limited tissue?

We can often work with limited material by using a reduced core panel, low-volume extraction and an optimized calibration range, and during project setup we will tell you which metabolites are realistic so the design matches your sample constraints.

How do I turn untargeted metabolomics findings into a targeted arginine panel?

You send us the arginine-pathway hits from your discovery data (names, IDs or m/z–RT); we map them to available standards and transitions, define which ones can be fully quantified and which will be semi-quantitative, and build a focused panel that directly tests your hypotheses.

How is data quality for arginine and ADMA/SDMA controlled across batches?

We use matrix-matched calibration, internal standards where available, system-suitability checks, pooled QC injections and predefined criteria for linearity, precision and recovery, then summarize key QC metrics in the report so you can judge whether the data support longitudinal or cross-batch comparisons.

Can these arginine results be integrated with my other omics and phenotypic readouts?

Yes; results are delivered as clean tables with consistent metabolite naming, which can be joined to transcriptomics, proteomics, untargeted metabolomics or phenotypic endpoints for pathway analysis, network modeling or biomarker validation.

Characterization of Dnajc12 knockout mice, a model of hypodopaminergia

Deng, I. B., Follet, J., Fox, J. D., & Farrer, M. J.

Journal: bioRxiv

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.07.06.602343

Elevated SLC7A2 expression is associated with an abnormal neuroinflammatory response and nitrosative stress in Huntington's disease

Gaudet, I. D., Xu, H., Gordon, E., Cannestro, G. A., Lu, M. L., & Wei, J.

Journal: Journal of Neuroinflammation

Year: 2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12974-024-03038-2

Water-soluble saponins accumulate in drought-stressed switchgrass and may inhibit yeast growth during bioethanol production

Chipkar, S., Smith, K., et al.