Decarboxylase , amino acid

The assay described for amino acid decarboxylase can be used to quantitate the substrates and products associated with the decarboxylation of arginine, aspartate, 2,6-diaminopimelate, histidine, glutamate, lysine, and ornithine. 

Kochhar et al. (1989) characterized an assay for glutamate decarboxylase activity. Glutamate and 4-aminobutyrate were separated on a Nucle-osil Q column. The mobile phase was 13 mAf trifluoroacetate and 1 mAf 1-octanesulfonate. Detection was by postcolumn derivatization with o-phthaldialdehyde reagent (1 mL/min) mixed with the column eluate (also 1 mL/min). The Teflon reaction coil (3 m x 0.3 mm) was kept at room temperature. The o-phthaldialdehyde reagent was prepared by dissolving 800 mg of o-phthaldialdehyde in 20 mL of ethanol plus 2.5 mL of 2-mercaptoethanol and mixing with 980 mL of 0.4 Af sodium borate (pH 9.7) and 3 mL Brij 35. The fluorometer was set to give excitation at 350 nm and emission was measured at 450 nm. 

The reaction mixture contained 5 mAf L-glutamate and 0.5 to 10 mU of enzyme in 100 mAf sodium phosphate (pH 7.2) containing 0.1 mAf pyridoxal 5 -phosphate and 1 mAf S-2-aminoethylisothiouronium bromide. The reaction was started by adding 5 to 10 pL of enzyme solution to give a final volume of 50 pL. Aliquots of 10 pL were removed at 0,10, and 20 minutes and mixed with 10 pL of prechilled 0.2 Af perchloric acid. After centrifugation, 10 pL of the supernate was mixed with 190 pL of the HPLC mobile phase HPLC 

The assay was used for both a partially purified preparation of glutamate decarboxylase from E. coli and rat brain homogenates. Chromatography conditions for the other substrate-product mixtures listed above were also described. 

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Manometric determiaation of L-lysiae, L-argioine, L-leuciae, L-ornithine, L-tyrosiae, L-histidine, L-glutamic acid, and L-aspartic acid has been reviewed (136). This method depends on the measurement of the carbon dioxide released by the T.-amino acid decarboxylase which is specific to each amino acid. 

Table IX. Amino Acid Decarboxylases in Coliform Organisms (99)...

Together with dopamine, adrenaline and noradrenaline belong to the endogenous catecholamines that are synthesized from the precursor amino acid tyrosine (Fig. 1). In the first biosynthetic step, tyrosine hydroxylase generates l-DOPA which is further converted to dopamine by the aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase ( Dopa decarboxylase). Dopamine is transported from the cytosol into synaptic vesicles by a vesicular monoamine transporter. In sympathetic nerves, vesicular dopamine (3-hydroxylase generates the neurotransmitter noradrenaline. In chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, approximately 80% of the noradrenaline is further converted into adrenaline by the enzyme phenylethanolamine-A-methyltransferase. 

The synthesis and metabolism of trace amines and monoamine neurotransmitters largely overlap [1]. The trace amines PEA, TYR and TRP are synthesized in neurons by decarboxylation of precursor amino acids through the enzyme aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). OCT is derived from TYR. by involvement of the enzyme dopamine (3-hydroxylase (Fig. 1 DBH). The catabolism of trace amines occurs in both glia and neurons and is predominantly mediated by monoamine oxidases (MAO-A and -B). While TYR., TRP and OCT show approximately equal affinities toward MAO-A and MAO-B, PEA serves as preferred substrate for MAO-B. The metabolites phenylacetic acid (PEA), hydroxyphenylacetic acid (TYR.), hydroxymandelic acid (OCT), and indole-3-acetic (TRP) are believed to be pharmacologically inactive. 

Trace Amines. Figure 1 The main routes of trace amine metabolism. The trace amines (3-phenylethylamine (PEA), p-tyramine (TYR), octopamine (OCT) and tryptamine (TRP), highlighted by white shading, are each generated from their respective precursor amino acids by decarboxylation. They are rapidly metabolized by monoamine oxidase (MAO) to the pharmacologically inactive carboxylic acids. To a limited extent trace amines are also A/-methylated to the corresponding secondary amines which are believed to be pharmacologically active. Abbreviations AADC, aromatic amino acid decarboxylase DBH, dopamine b-hydroxylase NMT, nonspecific A/-methyltransferase PNMT, phenylethanolamine A/-methyltransferase TH, tyrosine hydroxylase. 

EP 436 252 (AKZO appl. 19.12.1990 NL-prior. 30.12.1989). combination with L-amino acid decarboxylase inhibitors ... 

Decarboxylation of histidine to histamine is catalyzed by a broad-specificity aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase that also catalyzes the decarboxylation of dopa, 5-hy-droxytryptophan, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan. a-Methyl amino acids, which inhibit decarboxylase activity, find appfication as antihypertensive agents. Histidine compounds present in the human body include ergothioneine, carnosine, and dietary anserine (Figure 31-2). Urinary levels of 3-methylhistidine are unusually low in patients with Wilson s disease. 

By contrast, the cytoplasmic decarboxylation of dopa to dopamine by the enzyme dopa decarboxylase is about 100 times more rapid (Am 4x 10 " M) than its synthesis and indeed it is difficult to detect endogenous dopa in the CNS. This enzyme, which requires pyridoxal phosphate (vitamin B6) as co-factor, can decarboxylate other amino acids (e.g. tryptophan and tyrosine) and in view of its low substrate specificity is known as a general L-aromatic amino-acid decarboxylase. 

Histamine is synthesised by decarboxylation of histidine, its amino-acid precursor, by the specific enzyme histidine decarboxylase, which like glutaminic acid decarboxylase requires pyridoxal phosphate as co-factor. Histidine is a poor substrate for the L-amino-acid decarboxylase responsible for DA and NA synthesis. The synthesis of histamine in the brain can be increased by the administration of histidine, so its decarboxylase is presumably not saturated normally, but it can be inhibited by a fluoromethylhistidine. No high-affinity neuronal uptake has been demonstrated for histamine although after initial metabolism by histamine A-methyl transferase to 3-methylhistamine, it is deaminated by intraneuronal MAOb to 3-methylimidazole acetic acid (Fig. 13.4). A Ca +-dependent KCl-induced release of histamine has been demonstrated by microdialysis in the rat hypothalamus (Russell et al. 1990) but its overflow in some areas, such as the striatum, is neither increased by KCl nor reduced by tetradotoxin and probably comes from mast cells. 

Figure 13.7 Synthesis and structure of the trace amines phenylethylamine, /)-tyramine and tryptamine. These are all formed by decarboxylation rather than hydroxylation of the precursors of the established monoamine neurotransmitters, dopamine and 5-HT. (1) Decarboxylation by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (2) phenylaline hydroxylase (3) tyrosine hydroxylase (4) tryptophan hydroxylase...

Because LCEC had its initial impact in neurochemical analysis, it is not, surprising that many of the early enzyme-linked electrochemical methods are of neurologically important enzymes. Many of the enzymes involved in catecholamine metabolism have been determined by electrochemical means. Phenylalanine hydroxylase activity has been determined by el trochemicaUy monitoring the conversion of tetrahydro-biopterin to dihydrobiopterin Another monooxygenase, tyrosine hydroxylase, has been determined by detecting the DOPA produced by the enzymatic reaction Formation of DOPA has also been monitored electrochemically to determine the activity of L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase Other enzymes involved in catecholamine metabolism which have been determined electrochemically include dopamine-p-hydroxylase phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase and catechol-O-methyltransferase . Electrochemical detection of DOPA has also been used to determine the activity of y-glutamyltranspeptidase The cytochrome P-450 enzyme system has been studied by observing the conversion of benzene to phenol and subsequently to hydroquinone and catechol... 

Figure 1. Biosynthetic pathways for biogenic amines. In Drosophila and vertebrates decarboxylation of DOPA and 5-hydroxy-tryptophan is catalyzed by the same enzyme, DDC. In vertebrates this enzyme is called amino acid decarboxylase (AADC). Only vertebrates further metabolize dopamine to norepinephrine and epinephrine. TH, tryosine hydroxylase DDC, DOPA decarboxylase DBH, dopamine b-hydroxylase PNMT, phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase. Tryp-OH tryptophan hydroxylase.

Albert, V. R., Allen, J. M., and Joh, T. H. (1987). A single gene codes for aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase in both neuronal and non-neuronal tissues. J. Biol. Chem. 262 9404-9411. 

Ichinose, H., Kurosawa, Y., Titani, K., Fujita, K., and Nagatsu, T. (1989). Isolation and characterization of a cDNA clone encoding human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 164 1024-1030. 

Jaeger, C. B., Teitelman, G Joh, T. H., Albert, V. R Park, D. H., and Reis, D. J. (1983). Some neurons of the rat central nervous system contain aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase but not monoamines. Science 219 1233-1235. 

Kang, U. J and Joh, T. H. (1990). Deduced amino acid sequence of bovine L-amino acid decarboxylase homology to other decarboxylases. Mol. Brain Res. 8 83-87. 

Lovenberg, W Weissbach, W., and Udenfriend, S. (1962). Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. J. Biol. Chem. 237 89-93. 

Nagatsu, T., Ichinose, H., Kojima, K., Kameya, T., Shimase, J., Kodama, T., and Shimosato, U. (1985). Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase activities in human lung tissues comparison between normal lung and lung carcinomas. Biochem. Med. 34 52-59. 

Rahman, M. K Nagatsu, T., and Kato, T. (1981). Aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase activity in central and peripheral tissues and serum of rats with L-DOPA and L-5-hydroxytryptophan as substrates. Biochem. Pharmacol. 30 645-649. 

Thai, A. L. V., Coste, E., Allen, J. M., Palmiter, R. D., and Weber, M. J. (1993). Identification of a neuron-specific promoter of human aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase gene. Mol. Brain. Res 17 227-238. 

L-dopa is effective in the treatment of Parkinson s disease, a disorder characterised by low levels of dopamine, since L-dopa is metabolised into dopamine. However, this biosynthesis normally occurs in both the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system CNS. The related drug carbidopa inhibits aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase only in the periphery, since it does not cross the blood-brain barrier. So, when carbidopa is given with L-dopa, it reduces the biosynthesis of L-dopa to dopamine in the periphery and, thus, increases the bioavailability of L-dopa for the dopaminergic neurons in the brain. Hence, carbidopa increases the clinical efficacy of L-dopa for Parkinsonian patients. 

Carbidopa An inhibitor of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase used with L-dopa in the treatment of Parkinson s disease. 

Although the absence of paracellular transport across the BBB impedes the entry of small hydrophilic compounds into the brain, low-molecular-weight lipophilic substances may pass through the endothelial cell membranes and cytosol by passive diffusion [7]. While this physical barrier cannot protect the brain against chemicals, the metabolic barrier formed by the enzymes from the endothelial cell cytosol may transform these chemicals. Compounds transported through the BBB by carrier-mediated systems may also be metabolized. Thus, l-DOPA is transported through the BBB and then decarboxylated to dopamine by the aromatic amino acid decarboxylase [7]. 

The answer is c. (idardman, p 510.) Carbidopa is an inhibitor of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase. It cannot readily penetrate the central nervous system (CNS) and, thus, decreases the decarboxylation of L-clopa in the peripheral tissues. This promotes an increased concentration of L-clopa in the nigrostriatum, where it is converted to dopamine. In addition, the effective dose of L-dopa can be reduced... 

Dopamine is formed from tyrosine by hyclroxylation with tyrosine hydroxylase and the removal of a CO2 group by aromatic amino acid decarboxylase. The catecholamine is found in high concentrations in parts of the brain—the caudate nucleus, the median eminence, the tuberculum olfactorium, and the nucleus accumbens. Dopamine appears to act as an inhibitory neurotransmitter. 

The other enzyme involved in the synthesis of 5-HT, aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) (EC 4.1.1.28), is a soluble pyridoxal-5 -phosphate-dependent enzyme, which converts 5-HTP to 5-HT (Fig. 13-5). It has been demonstrated that administration of pyridoxine increases the rate of synthesis of 5-HT in monkey brain, as revealed using position emission tomography (this technique is discussed in Ch. 58). This presumably reflects a regulatory effect of pyridoxine on AADC activity and raises the interesting issue of the use of pyridoxine supplementation in situations associated with 5-HT deficiency. 

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