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Amino Acids: The Forum for Amino Acid, Peptide and Protein Research (v.32, #2)

Metabotropic glutamate receptors by A. Pilc; K. Ossowska (pp. 165-167).

Combined administration of PHCCC, a positive allosteric modulator of mGlu4 receptors and ACPT-I, mGlu III receptor agonist evokes antidepressant-like effects in rats by K. Kłak; A. Pałucha; P. Brański; M. Sowa; A. Pilc (pp. 169-172).

Numerous pharmacological data indicate involvement of glutamate, the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, in the pathophysiology of several neuropsychiatric disorders. It was shown in the preclinical studies that compounds which can reduce the excess of glutamate release (for example group III metabotropic receptors agonists) possess potential therapeutic properties. Thus we focused our interests on (−)-N-phenyl-7-(hydroxyimino) cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carboxamide (PHCCC), which is a positive allosteric modulator of mGlu4 receptor. We examined the potential antidepressant-like activity of PHCCC after injection into the brain ventricles alone, or together with (1S,3R,4S)-1-aminocyclo-pentane-1,3,4-tricarboxylic acid (ACPT-I), a nonselective group III mGlu receptor agonist, using the forced swimming test (FST) in rats. We found that ACPT-I induced a dose dependent antidepressant-like effect in FST, which was blocked by an antagonist of group III mGlu receptors (RS)-alpha-cyclopropyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (CPPG). PHCCC injected intracerebroventricular was not effective, however when the compound was administered together with non-effective dose of ACPT-I, a profound antidepressant-like activity in FST was demonstrated. This effect was reversed by CPPG, group III mGlu receptors antagonist. Results of our studies indicate that a combined administration positive allosteric modulation of mGlu4 receptor and agonists of group III mGlu receptors may be a promising target in the future treatment of depressive disorder.

Keywords: Keywords: Depression – Antidepressant activity – Group III mGlu receptors – PHCCC – ACPT-I

The role of group I metabotropic glutamate receptors in schizophrenia by M. Pietraszek; J. Nagel; A. Gravius; D. Schäfer; W. Danysz (pp. 173-178).

It has been proposed that glutamatergic transmission, in particular NMDA receptor function, might be altered in schizophrenia. This hypothesis is mainly based on the observation that uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists, e.g. phencyclidine, evoke psychotic symptoms in healthy subjects, whereas agonists interacting at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor complex, e.g. glycine or D-serine, administered jointly with typical neuroleptics, can alleviate schizophrenic symptoms. The function of NMDA receptors may be modulated by group I mGluRs (mGluR1 and mGluR5), which have also been shown to be altered in schizophrenia. In rodents, mGluR5 antagonists, but not mGluR1 ones, potentiate the locomotor activity and the deficit of prepulse inhibition (PPI) induced by uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists. These antagonists (of either type) administered alone are not active in the above tests. Hence, antagonists of mGluR1 and mGluR5 may evoke different effects on the NMDA receptor antagonists-induced behavior and, possibly, on schizophrenic symptoms.

Keywords: Keywords: NMDA receptors – mGluR1 – mGluR5 – Prepulse inhibition – Locomotor activity – Schizophrenia

An influence of ligands of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes on parkinsonian-like symptoms and the striatopallidal pathway in rats by K. Ossowska; J. Konieczny; J. Wardas; M. Pietraszek; K. Kuter; S. Wolfarth; A. Pilc (pp. 179-188).

Several data indicate that inhibition of glutamatergic transmission may be important to alleviate of parkinsonian symptoms. Therefore, the aim of the present paper is to review recent studies on the search for putative antiparkinsonian-like effects of mGluR ligands and their brain targets. In order to inhibit glutamatergic transmission, the group I mGluRs (mGluR1 and mGluR5) were blocked, and group II (mGluR2/3) or III (mGluR4/7/8) mGluRs were activated.Systemic or intrastriatal administration of group I mGluR antagonists (mGluR5 – MPEP, MTEP; mGluR1 – AIDA) was found to inhibit parkinsonian-like symptoms (catalepsy, muscle rigidity) in rats. MPEP administered systemically and mGluR1 antagonists (AIDA, CPCCOEt, LY367385) injected intrastriatally reversed also the haloperidol-increased proenkephalin (PENK) mRNA expression in the striatopallidal pathway. Similarly, ACPT-1, a group III mGluR agonist, administered into the striatum, globus pallidus or substantia nigra inhibited the catalepsy. Intrastriatal injection of this compound reduced the striatal PENK expression induced by haloperidol. In contrast, a group II mGluR agonist (2R,4R-APDC) administered intrastriatally reduced neither PENK expression nor the above-mentioned parkinsonian-like symptoms. Moreover, a mixed mGluR8 agonist/AMPA antagonist, (R,S)-3,4-DCPG, administered systemically evoked catalepsy and enhanced both the catalepsy and PENK expression induced by haloperidol.The results reviewed in this article seem to indicate that group I mGluR antagonists or some agonists of group III may possess antiparkinsonian properties, and point at the striatopallidal pathway as a potential target of therapeutic intervention.

Keywords: Keywords: Metabotropic glutamate receptors – Antiparkinsonian-like effects – Striatum – Striatopallidal pathway – Proenkephalin mRNA

Striatal metabotropic glutamate receptors as a target for pharmacotherapy in Parkinson’s disease by P. Bonsi; D. Cuomo; B. Picconi; G. Sciamanna; A. Tscherter; M. Tolu; G. Bernardi; P. Calabresi; A. Pisani (pp. 189-195).

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopamine (DA)-containing neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). The symptoms are resting tremor, slowness of movement, rigidity and postural instability. Evidence that an imbalance between dopaminergic and cholinergic transmission takes place within the striatum led to the utilization of DA precursors, DA receptor agonists and anticholinergic drugs in the symptomatic therapy of PD. However, upon disease progression the therapy becomes less effective and debilitating effects such as dyskinesias and motor fluctuations appear. Hence, the need for the development of alternative therapeutic strategies has emerged.Several observations in different experimental models of PD suggest that blockade of excitatory amino acid transmission exerts antiparkinsonian effects. In particular, recent studies have focused on metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs). Drugs acting on group I and II mGluRs have indeed been proven useful in ameliorating the parkinsonian symptoms in animal models of PD and therefore might represent promising therapeutic targets. This beneficial effect could be due to the reduction of both glutamatergic and cholinergic transmission. A novel target for drugs acting on mGluRs in PD therapy might be represented by striatal cholinergic interneurons. Indeed, the activation of mGluR2, highly expressed on this cell type, is able to reduce calcium-dependent plateau potentials by interfering with somato-dendritic N-type calcium channel activity, in turn reducing ACh release in the striatum. Similarly, the blockade of both group I mGluR subtypes reduces cholinergic interneuron excitability, and decreases striatal ACh release. Thus, targeting mGluRs located onto cholinergic interneurons might result in a beneficial pharmacological effect in the parkinsonian state.

Keywords: Keywords: Metabotropic glutamate receptors – Striatum – Parkinson’s disease – Cholinergic interneurons

S-adenosylmethionine and radical-based catalysis by M. A. Grillo; S. Colombatto (pp. 197-202).

S-adenosylmthionine is the major methyl donor in all living organisms, but it is also involved in many other reactions occurring through radical-based catalysis. The structure and function of some of these enzymes, including those involved in the synthesis of the molybdenum cofactors, biotin, lipoate, will be discussed.

Keywords: Keywords: Molybdenum cofactors – Biotin – Lipoate

Quantification of free amino acids and dipeptides using isotope dilution liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry by A. N. Fonteh; R. J. Harrington; M. G. Harrington (pp. 203-212).

Our aim was to develop a liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS²) method to measure free amino acid (FAA) and dipeptide (DP) concentrations in biological fluids. We synthesized chloroformate derivatives of FAA and DP, identified the major precursor ions and used LCMS² to obtain the most intense product ions. Using serial dilutions of unlabeled and labeled standards ([²H₃]-L-Dopa, homoarginine, homophenylalanine, [¹⁵N]-Glutamine and [²H₃]-methionine), we observed linear relationships in MS response that we used to calculate the amounts of FAA and DP in biological samples. This method is sensitive with a limit of detection (LOD) for most of the FAAs and DPs tested in the 0.05–1 pmol range and is linear over 3–5 orders of magnitude when many metabolites were measured simultaneously. Reproducibility and between run or daily variations were <10% for most FAAs and DPs. We applied this method to human samples and quantitatively measured 21 FAAs and 2 DPs in 200 µl CSF, 31 FAAs and 6 DPs in 100 µl plasma, and 23 FAAs and 5 DPs in 200 µl urine. These data demonstrate the potential for using LCMS² to discover changes in FAA and DP metabolic pathways that occur during disease pathogenesis.

Keywords: Keywords: Amino acids – Dipeptides – Liquid chromatography – Tandem mass spectrometry – Cerebrospinal fluid – Plasma – Urine

Free amino acid and dipeptide changes in the body fluids from Alzheimer’s disease subjects by A. N. Fonteh; R. J. Harrington; A. Tsai; P. Liao; M. G. Harrington (pp. 213-224).

Our aim was to determine changes in free amino acid (FAA) and dipeptide (DP) concentrations in probable Alzheimer’s disease (pAD) subjects compared with control (CT) subjects using liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LCMS²). We recruited gender- and age-matched study participants based on neurological and neuropsychological assessments. We measured FAAs and DPs in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), plasma and urine using LCMS² with selected reaction monitoring (SRM). Imidazole-containing FAAs (histidine, methyl-histidine), catecholamines (L-DOPA and dopamine), citrulline, ornithine, glycine and antioxidant DPs (carnosine and anserine) accounted for the major changes between CT and pAD. Carnosine levels were significantly lower in pAD (328.4 ± 91.31 nmol/dl) than in CT plasma (654.23 ± 100.61 nmol/dl). In contrast, L-DOPA levels were higher in pAD (1400.84 ± 253.68) than CT (513.10 ± 121.61 nmol/dl) plasma. These data underscore the importance of FAA and DP metabolism in the pathogenesis of AD. Since our data show changes in antioxidants, neurotransmitters and their precursors, or FAA associated with urea metabolism in pAD compared with CT, we propose that manipulation of these metabolic pathways may be important in preventing AD progression.

Keywords: Keywords: Amino acids – Dipeptides – Tandem mass spectrometry – Cerebrospinal fluid – Plasma – Alzheimer’s disease

Influence of β-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity by C. A. Hill; R. C. Harris; H. J. Kim; B. D. Harris; C. Sale; L. H. Boobis; C. K. Kim; J. A. Wise (pp. 225-233).

Muscle carnosine synthesis is limited by the availability of β-alanine. Thirteen male subjects were supplemented with β-alanine (CarnoSyn™) for 4 wks, 8 of these for 10 wks. A biopsy of the vastus lateralis was obtained from 6 of the 8 at 0, 4 and 10 wks. Subjects undertook a cycle capacity test to determine total work done (TWD) at 110% (CCT_110%) of their maximum power (W_max). Twelve matched subjects received a placebo. Eleven of these completed the CCT_110% at 0 and 4 wks, and 8, 10 wks. Muscle biopsies were obtained from 5 of the 8 and one additional subject. Muscle carnosine was significantly increased by +58.8% and +80.1% after 4 and 10 wks β-alanine supplementation. Carnosine, initially 1.71 times higher in type IIa fibres, increased equally in both type I and IIa fibres. No increase was seen in control subjects. Taurine was unchanged by 10 wks of supplementation. 4 wks β-alanine supplementation resulted in a significant increase in TWD (+13.0%); with a further +3.2% increase at 10 wks. TWD was unchanged at 4 and 10 wks in the control subjects. The increase in TWD with supplementation followed the increase in muscle carnosine.

Keywords: Keywords: β-alanine – Muscle – Carnosine – Taurine – Exercise – Cycle performance

Felinine stability in the presence of selected urine compounds by S. M. Rutherfurd; T. M. Kitson; A. D. Woolhouse; M. C. McGrath; W. H. Hendriks (pp. 235-242).

The stability of felinine, an amino acid present in feline urine, was investigated. Synthetic felinine was unstable in the urine of a selection of mammals. Felinine was found to stable in feline urine in which urea had been degraded. Synthetic felinine was found to react specifically with urea and did not react with urea analogues such as biuret or thiourea or other nucleophilic compounds such as ammonia which is more nucleophilic or acetamide and water which are less nucleophilic than urea. The reaction of urea and felinine was independent of pH over the range of 3–10. Urea did not react with N-acetyl-felinine suggesting a felinine N-terminal interaction with urea. Mass spectral analysis of the reaction products showed the presence of carbamylated felinine and fragmentation ions derived from carbamyl-felinine. The physiological relevance of felinine carbamylation is yet to be determined.

Keywords: Keywords: Felinine – Urea – Cats – Urine – Carbamylation – Smell

Synthesis of γ-amino acid analogues from natural α-amino acids by a radical pathway by M. C. Corvo; M. M. A. Pereira (pp. 243-246).

New γ-amino esters and amides were prepared by a radical 1,4-addition of carbon radicals to acrylic derivatives. α-Amino acids derivatives holding chiral auxiliaries as radical precursors and different chiral olefins were used and chiral induction on the C-γ center was discussed.

Keywords: Keywords: Amino acids and derivatives – Radicals – Synthesis

The role of growth hormone and amino acids on brain protein synthesis in aged rats given proteins of different quantity and quality by M. Ohsumi; X. Shi; T. Tuchiya; K. Tujioka; S. Lyou; K. Hayase; H. Yokogoshi (pp. 247-253).

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether the regulation of brain protein synthesis was mediated through changes in the plasma concentrations of insulin and growth hormone (GH), and whether the concentrations of amino acids in the brain and plasma regulate the brain protein synthesis when the quantity and quality of dietary protein is manipulated. Two experiments were done on three groups of aged rats given diets containing 20% casein, 5% casein or 0% casein (Experiment 1), and 20% casein, 20% gluten, or 20% gelatin (Experiment 2) for 1 d (only one 5-h period) after all rats were fed the 20% casein diet for 10 d (only 5-h feeding per day). The aggregation of brain ribosomes, the concentration in plasma GH, and the branched chain amino acids in the plasma and cerebral cortex declined with a decrease of quantity and quality of dietary protein. The concentration of plasma insulin did not differ among groups. The results suggest that the ingestion of a higher quantity and quality of dietary protein increases the concentrations of GH and several amino acids in aged rats, and that the concentrations of GH and amino acids are at least partly related to the mechanism by which the dietary protein affects brain protein synthesis in aged rats.

Keywords: Keywords: Dietary protein – Brain protein synthesis – Amino acids – Insulin – Growth hormone – Rats

Dietary γ-aminobutyric acid affects the brain protein synthesis rate in young rats by K. Tujioka; S. Okuyama; H. Yokogoshi; Y. Fukaya; K. Hayase; K. Horie; M. Kim (pp. 255-260).

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affects the rate of brain protein synthesis in male rats. Two experiments were done on five or three groups of young rats (5 wk) given the diets containing 20% casein administrated 0 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 100 mg or 200 mg/100 g body weight GABA dissolved in saline by oral gavage for 1 day (d) (Experiment 1), and given the diets contained 0%, 0.25% or 0.5% GABA added to the 20% casein diet (Experiment 2) for 10 d. The plasma concentration of growth hormone (GH) was the highest in rats administrated 50 mg and 100 mg/100 g body weight GABA. The concentration of serum GABA increased significantly with the supplementation groups. The fractional (Ks) rates of protein synthesis in brain regions, liver and gastrocnemius muscle increased significantly with the 20% casein + 0.25% GABA diet and still more 20% casein + 0.5% GABA compared with the 20% casein diet. In brain regions, liver and gastrocnemius muscle, the RNA activity [g protein synthesized/(g RNA·d)] significantly correlated with the fractional rate of protein synthesis. The RNA concentration (mg RNA/g protein) was not related to the fractional rate of protein synthesis in any organ. Our results suggest that the treatment of GABA to young male rats are likely to increase the concentrations of plasma GH and the rate of protein synthesis in the brain, and that RNA activity is at least partly related to the fractional rate of brain protein synthesis.

Keywords: Keywords: γ-Aminobutyric acid – Growth hormone – Protein synthesis – Brain – Rats

Two new reactive targets of 2,5-hexanedione in vitro – beta-alanine and glycine by W. Pei; J. Misumi; N. Kubota; M. Morikawa; N. Kimura (pp. 261-264).

In this study, we found that two amino acids reacted with 2,5-hexanedione to form new reaction products in vitro, respectively. In the reaction of beta-alanine and 2,5-hexanedione, a reaction product was obtained and analyses of obtained results showed it was 3-(2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)propanoic acid; in the reaction of glycine and 2,5-hexanedione, a reaction product was also obtained and analyses showed it was (2,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)acetic acid. Two reaction products were found to be oxidized easily; in addition, the latter was more easily to be oxidized than the former in the air. Our discoveries demonstrated that reactions between amino acids and 2,5-hexanedione could exist possibly in vitro. At present, it is clear that 2,5-hexanedione causes either axon atrophy or swelling, but the underlying molecular mechanism is still unclear. Since both beta-alanine and glycine are considered as neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, the reaction products remain to be identified in vivo.

Keywords: Keywords: Gamma-diketone neuropathy – 2,5-Hexanedione – Beta-alanine – Glycine – Neurotransmitter – Amino acids

Polyamine metabolism in sunflower plants under long-term cadmium or copper stress by M. D. Groppa; M. P. Ianuzzo; M. L. Tomaro; M. P. Benavides (pp. 265-275).

The effect of different doses of cadmium and copper was studied in relation to growth and polyamine (Pas) metabolism in shoots of sunflower plants. Cadmium accumulated to higher levels than copper and shoot length was reduced by 0.5 and 1 mM Cd, but only by 1 mM Cu. At 1 mM of Cd or Cu, Put content increased 270% and 160% with Cd²⁺ and Cu²⁺, respectively. Spermidine (Spd) was modified only by 1 mM Cd, while spermine (Spm) declined after seeds germinated, increasing thereafter but only with 1 mM Cd or Cu (273% over the controls for Cd and 230% for Cu at day 16). Both ADC and ODC activities were increased by 1 mM Cd, whereas 1 mM Cu enhanced ADC activity, but reduced ODC activity at every concentration used. The role of Pas as markers of Cd or Cu toxicity is discussed.

Keywords: Keywords: Polyamines – Cadmium – Copper – Sunflower

Delaunay triangulation with partial least squares projection to latent structures: a model for G-protein coupled receptors classification and fast structure recognition by Z. Wen; M. Li; Y. Li; Y. Guo; K. Wang (pp. 277-283).

As an important transmembrane protein family in eukaryon, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a significant role in cellular signal transduction and are important targets for drug design. However, it is very difficult to resolve their tertiary structure by X-ray crystallography. In this study, we have developed a Delaunay model, which constructs a series of simplexes with latent variables to classify the families of GPCRs and projects unknown sequences to principle component space (PC-space) to predict their topology. Computational results show that, for the classification of GPCRs, the method achieves the accuracy of 91.0 and 87.6% for Class A, more than 80% for the other three classes in differentiating GPCRs from non-GPCRs and 70% for discriminating between four major classes of GPCR, respectively. When recognizing the structure of GPCRs, all the N-terminals of sequences can be determined correctly. The maximum accuracy of predicting transmembrane segments is achieved in the 7^th transmembrane segment of Rhodopsin, which is 99.4%, and the average error is 2.1 amino acids, which is the lowest in all of the segments prediction. This method could provide structural information of a novel GPCR as a tool for experiments and other algorithms of structure prediction of GPCRs. Academic users should send their request for the MATLAB program for classifying GPCRs and predicting the topology of them at liml@scu.edu.cn .

Keywords: Keywords: Delaunay triangulation model – Partial least squares – G-protein coupled receptor – Classification – Structure recognition

Convenient synthesis of GOLD and MOLD and identification of their oxidation products in vitro and in vivo by M. D. Linetsky; E. V. Shipova (pp. 285-289).

Two Lys–Lys crosslinks, 1,3-bis-(5-amino-5-carboxypentyl)-1H-imidazolium (GOLD) and 1,3-bis(5-amino-5-carboxypentyl)-4-methyl-1H-imidazolium (MOLD) salts, have been synthesized by the reaction of imidazole or 4(5)-methyl imidazole with 5-(4-bromobutyl)-hydantoin followed by the hydrolysis of 1,3-substituted imidazolium derivatives by 6.0 N HCL at 110 °C. Treatment of GOLD and MOLD with hydrogen peroxide in acetic acid leads to MOLD oxidation only. The oxidation product of MOLD was detected in cataractous lens proteins.

Keywords: Keywords: Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) – GOLD – Lysine crosslinks – Maillard reaction – MOLD

Methylglyoxal-derived β-carbolines formed from tryptophan and its derivates in the Maillard reaction by I. Nemet; L. Varga-Defterdarović (pp. 291-293).

Reaction of tryptophan, tryptophan methyl ester and tryptamine with methylglyoxal (a physiological α-oxoaldehyde), which resulted in β-carboline formation, showed that this type of nonenzymatic (Maillard) reaction could spontaneously occur in living organisms or during commercial or domestic food processing and storage.

Keywords: Keywords: Methylglyoxal – Tryptophan – Tryptamine – β-Carboline – Maillard reaction

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Amino Acids: The Forum for Amino Acid, Peptide and Protein Research (v.32, #2)