Concentrations of GABA and Other Amino Acids in CSF from Torsion Dystonia Patients

Abstract: Free amino acid concentrations were measured by conventional amino acid analysis, and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations were determined, by an ion-exchange fluorometric technique, in CSF specimens from 16 patients with torsion dystonias and in CSF from a large number of control subjects. The mean CSF GABA concentration of the dystonia patients (97 ± 11 nmol/L) did not differ significantly from the means for CSF GABA in two groups of adult control subjects. Mean concentrations of all commonly determined amino compounds were normal in the CSF of torsion dystonia patients, except for ornithine, which was modestly but significantly reduced.     

Ventricular Cerebrospinal Fluid Monoamine Transmitter and Metabolite Concentrations Reflect Human Brain Neurochemistry in Autopsy Cases

Concentrations of dopamine (DA), its metabolites 3-methoxytyramine and homovanillic acid (HVA), noradrenaline (NA), its metabolites normetanephrine (NM) and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin), and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) were measured in 14 brain regions and in CSF from the third ventricle of 27 human autopsy cases. In addition, in six cases, lumbar CSF was obtained. Monoamine concentrations were determined by reversed-phase liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Ventricular/lumbar CSF ratios indicated persistence of rostrocaudal gradients for HVA and 5-HIAA post mortem. Ventricular CSF concentrations of DA and HVA correlated positively with striatal DA and HVA. CSF NA correlated positively with NA in hypothalamus, and CSF MHPG with levels of MHPG in hypothalamus, temporal cortex, and pons, whereas CSF NM concentration showed positive correlations with NM in striatum, pons, cingulate cortex, and olfactory tubercle. CSF 5-HT concentrations correlated positively with 5-HT in caudate nucleus, whereas the concentration of CSF 5-HIAA correlated to 5-HIAA levels in thalamus, hypothalamus, and the cortical areas. These data suggest a specific topographic origin for monoamine neurotransmitters and their metabolites in human ventricular CSF and support the contention that CSF measurements are useful indices of central monoaminergic activity in man.     

The Deduced Amino Acid Sequences of Human Platelet and Frontal Cortex Monoamine Oxidase B Are Identical

Abstract: Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) A and B play important roles in the metabolism of neuroactive, vasoactive amines. Human platelets contain only MAO B, often used as an indicator of brain MAO B. The validity of this model remained to be evaluated. This report describes the molecular cloning of human MAO B from frontal cortex and platelets. Two overlapping PCR-amplified clones of human platelet MAO B and four PCR-amplified clones of human frontal cortex MAO B covering the entire coding region were sequenced using five internal oligomers and M13 reverse and forward primers. The nucleotide sequences of human MAO B cDNA from platelet and frontal cortex were identical to that of human liver MAO B except for three nucleotides that differed in frontal cortex: nucleotides 440 A → G, 794 C → T, and 825 C → T. Whether or not these differences are artifactual, all three represent silent mutations, which would not alter the amino acid of the encoded polypeptides. Thus, the deduced amino acid sequences of MAO B from frontal cortex, platelet, and liver are identical. These findings indicate the validity of using platelet MAO B mRNA as a marker for brain MAO B and provide a new approach to study the role of brain MAO B in humans.     

实验动物血及组织游离氨基酸含量

本文报告实验动物血及组织游离氨基酸含量,结果表明,实验狗和Wistar大鼠血游离氨基酸含量比较恒定。实验兔组织游离氨基酸含量普遍高于血。     

Threonine Entry into Rat Brain After Diet-Induced Changes in Plasma Amino Acids

Abstract: Passage of amino acids across the blood-brain barrier is modified by the amino acid composition of the blood. Because blood amino acid concentrations respond to changes in protein intake, we have examined associations among diet, plasma amino acid patterns, and the rate of entry of threonine into the brain. Rats were adapted for 8 h/ day for 7–10 days to diets containing 6, 18 , or 50% casein before receiving a single, independently varied, final meal of a diet containing 0, 6, 18 , or 50% casein. After 4–7 h, they were anesthetized and infused intravenously with [¹⁴C]threonine for 5 min before plasma and brain samples were taken for determination of radioactivity and amino acid content. Plasma and brain threonine concentrations decreased as protein content increased in the diets to which the rats had been adapted. Plasma threonine concentrations increased twofold, from 1.6 to 3.0 m M , when rats adapted to 6% casein meals received a single 50% casein meal rather than a nonprotein meal; a fivefold increase, from 0.13 to 0.69 m M , occurred when rats had been previously adapted to 50% casein meals. Increasing the protein content of the final meal did not increase brain threonine concentrations. Highest and lowest rates of threonine entry into the brain occurred, respectively, in rats adapted to 6 and 50% casein meals. Changes in plasma threonine concentrations and threonine flux into brain reflected protein content of both pretreatment and final meals.     

Inhibition of Brain Type A Monoamine Oxidase and 5-Hydroxytryptamine Uptake by Two Amphetamine Metabolites, p-Hydroxyamphetamine and p-Hydroxynorephedrine

Two amphetamine metabolites, p-hydroxyamphetamine (p-OHA) and p-hydroxynorephedrine (p-OHN), selectively inhibited the A form of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in rat and mouse forebrain homogenates. Of these two metabolites, p-OHA inhibited MAO-A more strongly than p-OHN. This MAO-A-selective inhibition by p-OHA or p-OHN was found to be competitive with respect to deamination of its substrate, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT). The degree of MAO-A inhibition was not changed by 90 min of preincubation of the enzyme preparations with either metabolite, and the activity inhibited by p-OHA after the preincubation recovered completely to the control level after repeated washing. Uptake of 5-HT or dopamine into mouse forebrain synaptosomes was highly reduced by both p-OHA and p-OHN. Both metabolites were more potent in reducing dopamine uptake than in reducing 5-HT uptake. In reduction of 5-HT and of dopamine uptake, p-OHA was more potent than p-OHN. These results indicate that p-OHA is a more selective inhibitor of brain MAO-A activity and 5-HT uptake than its subsequent metabolite, p-OHN. These two actions of p-OHA might, together with possible 5-HT efflux into the synaptic cleft, greatly contribute to head twitch, a brain 5-HT-mediated animal behavior induced by p-OHA.     

Amino acids and plasma antioxidant capacity

Summary Amino acids antioxidant capacity has been investigated and compared with the chain-breaking antioxidant activity of known compounds as ascorbic acid and Trolox. Basic and acidic amino acids and most of neutral ones showed no antioxidant capacity. On the contrary, tryptophan, tyrosine, cysteine and homocysteine showed antioxidant ability at concentrations which are within the usually reported physiological ranges.These findings are discussed in connection with the antioxidant capacity ascribed to plasma proteins, as human serum albumin.     

Rapid Determination of Norepinephrine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Their Precursor Amino Acids, and Related Metabolites in Discrete Brain Areas of Mice Within Ten Minutes by HPLC with Electrochemical Detection

A rapid and simple chromatographic procedure using HPLC with electrochemical detection is described for simultaneous determination of the substrates from precursor amino acids to metabolites related to synthesis and metabolism of three monoamine neurotransmitters--norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), and 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin)--in discrete brain areas of the mouse. Under the present instrumental and mobile phase conditions, the procedure permits simultaneous determination of three monoamines (NE, DA, and 5-HT), two precursor amino acids (tyrosine and tryptophan), and four respective metabolites (3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, homovanillic acid, and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid) within 10 min in one chromatographic run. By varying column temperature, this procedure also permits simultaneous determination of 10-14 monoamine-related substrates including the nine substrates described above within 15-21 min. The validity of the present procedure is demonstrated by analyzing the effect of an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist (clonidine) and an alpha 2-antagonist (yohimbine) in mouse hypothalamus.     

氨基酸酯化方法的比较及其红外光谱研究

在合成氨基酸酯锗类化合物时,制备了八种氨基酸酯,对文献提供的六种方法进行了实验比较,选出经济简便、产率高的方法。并对氨基酸及其酯的红外光谱的变化特征进行了研究。     

乙型脑炎患者脑脊液和血浆氨基酸代谢的变化

本文采用气相色谱法对５７例乙型脑炎患者极期和２１例恢复期患者的脑脊液（ＣＳＦ）和血浆１４种游离氨基酸浓度进行分析。结果表明,乙脑极期ＣＳＦ游离氨基酸浓度除苏氨酸、丝氨酸值低于正常值外,其它氨基酸值均增高,其中谷氨酸、鸟氨酸、赖氨酸、缬氨酸、脯氨酸值上升明显（ａｌｌＰ＜０．０１）,至乙脑恢复期不同幅度下降。乙脑极期血浆游离脯氨酸、赖氨酸、苯丙氨酸、酪氨酸、鸟氨酸、谷氨酸浓度高于正常值,而其它８种氨基酸值均下降明显,至乙脑恢复期,多数氨基酸恢复至接近正常水平。实验提示,乙脑病毒能明显影响血浆和ＣＳＦ中氨基酸的含量,而二者具有代谢差异。     

Circadian Rhythm in Plasma Noradrenaline of Healthy Sleep-Deprived Subjects

Under normal sleep-wake conditions, noradrenaline (NA) secretions in supine subjects exhibit a weak circadian variation with a peak that occurs around noon; the sleep span is characterized by reduced NA secretion. Some investigators have reported that the circadian NA rhythm is completely obliterated during sleep deprivation. In our laboratory, plasma NA was assayed every hour for 24 h in nine healthy men 20-23 years of age. All men were deprived of sleep and were required to eat and walk around every hour to prevent sleep. However, subjects remained supine for 20 min before blood samples were collected to eliminate the effect of activity. Persistence of a slight decrease in the night concentration in several subjects, despite sleep deprivation, suggests that NA secretion may be influenced by a biological clock whose activity becomes visible when the influence of posture is removed.     

从人和动物血浆及红细胞膜脂肪酸谱探讨脂质代谢实验模型动物选取

目的比较大鼠、家兔和人血浆及红细胞膜脂肪酸谱的异同,为脂质代谢模型动物的选取提供可靠依据。方法采用氯仿-甲醇快速提取大鼠、家兔和人血浆及细胞膜中的脂肪,并用碱法甲基化,经薄层层析纯化的甲基酯用100 mm×0.25 mm气相色谱毛细管柱测定脂肪酸组成。结果血浆中总MUFA、9c18：1、9c12c18：2 n-6和α-18：3 n-3等脂肪酸含量较高;而红细胞膜中总PUFA、AA、22：4n-6、DPA和DHA等脂肪酸含量较高;人和大鼠16：0、18：0、18：1、α-18：3n-3、AA、EPA、DHA、MUFA、n-3PUFA和n-6/n-3值均较为接近,但和家兔存在显著差异。结论与家兔相比,大鼠和人血浆及红细胞膜脂肪酸谱较接近,因此,在选取脂质代谢实验动物时,应优先考虑大鼠为模型动物,以得到与人体实际更接近的结果。     

水生生物的紫外光防护剂--类菌胞素氨基酸

类菌胞素氨基酸（mycosporine—like amino acids,MAAs）是一大类以环己烯酮为基本骨架,与不同类型氨基酸通过缩合作用形成的水溶性物质。它能在真菌、海洋细菌、蓝藻和真核藻类细胞中合成,并在海生无脊椎动物和鱼类等生物体内积累,广泛存在于多种水生生物中。它具有紫外光防护、渗透、繁殖调节及发育保护等功能。本文主要介绍有关类菌胞素氨基酸的分布、结构、生物合成和积累以及生理功能的研究进展。     

亚氨基酸编码方法及其应用

赋予氨基酸编码方法下除终止子之外的密码子突变为终止子时每一位发生的变化权值,利用矩阵来表示所有的突变方式和难易程度,综合亲水性与疏水性理化性质,提出亚氨基酸编码方法,并给出该编码方法下同义密码子的相对使用度fSubtypesRelativeSynonymousCodonUsage,SRSCU）．然后选取15条H5N1序列,使用MEGA4．0分析它们的同源性,并分别在氨基酸编码、拟氨基酸编码、亚氨基酸编码这三种环境下研究所选序列使用密码子的偏好性,对比结果验证,亚氨基酸编码方法具有相应的优越性．     

Effects of Dietary Amino Acids on Brain Amino Acids and Transmitter Amines in Rats with a Portacaval Shunt

The etiologic relationship between disturbances in metabolism of amino acids and amines and hepatic coma was investigated by examining the effects of diets containing various mixtures of amino acids on brain amine metabolism in rats with a portacaval shunt, using a method for simultaneous analysis of amino acids and amines. Rats with a portacaval shunt were fed on four different amino acid compositions with increased amounts of various amino acids suspected to be etiologically related to hepatic coma, such as methionine, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. The animals were killed 4 weeks after operation. During the experimental period, these animals did not become comatose, but exhibited various behavioral abnormalities. Marked increase in the plasma and brain levels of the augmented amino acids, especially methionine and tyrosine, were observed in rats with a portacaval shunt. Brain noradrenaline, dopamine, and serotonin levels were significantly decreased when the brain tyrosine level was increased. These results indicate that in rats with a portacaval shunt the dietary levels of amino acids greatly influence the brain levels of both amino acids and transmitter amines.     

Amino Acids in Rat Striatal Dialysates: Methodological Aspects and Changes After Electroconvulsive Shock

Extracellular levels of amino acids were estimated in dialysates of the rat striatum that were collected 1, 2, and/or more than 5 days after surgery, before (resting release) and during exposure to high K concentrations (50 mM) or electroconvulsive shocks. The resting release of several amino acids (Glu, Asn, Thr, Tau, Tyr, Gly, and Ala) was higher 9 days as compared to 1 day after surgery. In the 1-day preparation the resting release correlated highly with that observed with push-pull cannulas. The correlation with the tissue content of the amino acids was high only when they were divided into two groups (putative transmitters and metabolic intermediates). High K exposure produced increased output of Ala, ethanolamine (Eam), Asp, Glu, Tau, and Gly and a decrease in the egress of Gln 1 or 2 days after surgery. The effects on Asp and Glu had disappeared, and that on Gln reversed after 4-9 days. Electrically induced convulsions produced increased output of Ala, Gln, and Eam 1 or 2 days and 2 weeks after implantation of the probe. Changes were seen not only during but also (and some cases even more prominent) after the seizure. This study shows the usefulness of dialysis to monitor extracellular transmitter amino acids in the striatum of conscious rats (also bilateral dialysis was possible) for only a limited time after implantation of the probe. The dialysis method is suitable for longer time, when metabolic changes in amino acids are to be followed. In addition to transmitter release, glycolysis can be monitored by the measurement of Ala in the dialysate.     

Changes in free amino acid concentrations in serum,brain, and CSF throughout embryogenesis

Using the developing chick embryo as a model and a very sensitive micromethod for amino acid analysis, a complete analysis is presented of the developmental changes in free amino acid concentration in the blood, in the CSF, and in two different brain regions (optic lobe and frontal lobe) of the chick embryo (from day 4 of incubation, until day 5 post hatching). The developmental profile of Lys is the only one that is almost identical in all three compartments. The developmental profiles of the serum and of the brain are very similar for Arg and Phe, less so for Leu and Gly, and towards the end of the embryonic period, similar also for Val, Ile, Trp, and Met. The amino acid concentrations in the CSF are either much lower than in serum and brain already at the earliest stages, or they progressively decline to levels lower than those in brain and serum, most rapidly between day 6 and 8 of embryonic life. The concentrations of neuroactive amino acids (Gln, Glu, Asp, GABA, Tau, and Gly) in both brain regions begin to increase very early, and continue to rise, except Tau, which goes through a maximum at day 8. Comparative analysis of the developmental profiles of each amino acid in serum, brain, and CSF reveals that the blood supply and the cellular uptake, retention, and metabolism by neural cells are the major determinants of the free amino acid pool of the developing brain.     

Dialytrode Technology and Local Profiles of Amino Acids in the Awake Cat Brain

Methods to investigate the in vivo effects and release of neuroactive substances include cortical cups, push-pull cannulae, chemitrodes, and dialytrodes. Critical evaluation of these procedures is necessary in order to interpret related results and to select the most suitable devices for further studies. Recent improvements in the dialytrode include structural modifications and the use of a small, permeable membrane constructed of thin polyester. The dialytrode system and its diffusion rates have been characterized with in vitro studies. In vivo long-term experiments in awake cats have been conducted to test injection rates, diffusion of [14C]urea, temporal variability, pressure factors, and other experimental variables. Using dialytrodes we have measured the normal profile of amino acids present in different cerebral structures and their possible correlations.