Homovanillate

Dopamine. Dopamine (DA) (2) is an intermediate in the synthesis of NE and Epi from tyrosine. DA is localized to the basal ganglia of the brain and is involved in the regulation of motor activity and pituitary hormone release. The actions of DA are terminated by conversion to dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) by monoamine oxidase-A and -B (MAO-A and -B) in the neuron following reuptake, or conversion to homovanillic acid (HVA) through the sequential actions of catechol-0-methyl transferase (COMT) and MAO-A and -B in the synaptic cleft. 

To a solution of 4 g of sodium in 200 ml of n-propanol is added 39 g of homovanillic acid-n-propyl ester (boiling point 160°C to 162°C/4 mm Hg) and the mixture is concentrated by evaporation under vacuum. After dissolving the residue in 200 ml of dimethylformamide and the addition of 0.5 gof sodium iodide, 26.2 g of chloracetic acid-N,N-diethylamide are added drop-wise with stirring at an internal temperature of 130°C, and the mixture is further heated at 130°C for three hours. From the cooled reaction mixture the precipitated salts are removed by filtering off with suction. After driving off the dimethylformamide under vacuum, the product is fractionated under vacuum, and 44.3 g of 3-methoxy-4-N,N-diethylcarbamido-methoxy phenyl acetic acid-n-propyl ester are obtained as a yellowish oil of boiling point 210°C to 212°C/0,7 mm Hg,... 

MAO converts dopamine to DOPAC (3,4-dihydrox-yphenylacetic acid), which can be further metabolized by COMT to form homovanillic acid (HVA). HVA is the main product of dopamine metabolism and the principal dopamine metabolite in urine. Increased neuronal dopaminergic activity is associated with increases in plasma concentrations of DOPAC and HVA. COMT preferentially methylates dopamine at the 3 -hydroxyl position and utilizes S-adenosyl-L-methio-nine as a methyl group donor. COMT is expressed widely in the periphery and in glial cells. In PD, COMT has been targeted since it can convert l-DOPA to inactive 3-OMD (3-O-methyl-dopa). In the presence of an AADC inhibitor such as carbidopa, 3-OMD is the major metabolite of l-DOPA treatment. 

FIGURE 3-27 Three-dimensional chromatogram for oxidizable biological compounds at a multichannel amperometric detection system, consisting of an array of 16 carbon-paste electrodes held at different potentials. AA = ascorbic acid NE = norepinephrine DOPAC = 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid 5-HIAA = 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid DA = dopamine HVA = homovanillic acid. (Reproduced with permission from reference 68.)... 

C10H21N 6192-97-8) see Barbexaclone propyl homovanillate sodium salt (C 2Hi5NaO ) see Propanidid D-6-propyl-8(i-hydroxymethylergoline (C11H24N2O 63719-21-1) see Pergolide propyl iodide... 

Oxidant production is measured with the fluorogenic substrate para-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (PHPA) in the presence of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase (9). Under these conditions, superoxide is converted to H2O2 by the superoxide dismutase, and two molecules of PHPA are converted to a fluorescent diadduct by H2O2 and peroxidase. Similar assays have been devised using homovanillic acid (16) or scopoletin (17) instead of PHPA. 

Frdns has demonstrated this possibility with reserpine and rescinnamine hy irradiating at the start zone for two hours and obtaining a characteristic zone pattern (fingerprint) after TLC separation of the photochemically produced derivatives [20J. Huck and Dworcak exposed developed chromatograms with vanilmandelic acid and homovanillic acid zones to diffuse daylight and observed the formation of fluorescent metabolites that were suitable for direct quantitative analysis [21]. 

The visual detection limits for fluorimetric detection are substance-dependent and lie between 5 ng (adrenaline, noradrenaline) and 30 ng (homovanillic acid) substance per chromatogram zone. 

Fig. II Fluorescence scan of a chromatogram track with SOO ng each of noradrenaline (1), adrenaline (2), serotonin (3), vanilmandelic add (4), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic add (6), homovanillic acid (7) and vanillic acid (8) together with 230 ng creatinine, all per chromatogram zone measurement at X(3,c = 313 nm and > 390 nm (cut off filter FI 39 (A)), X = 365 nm and Xj, >430 nm...

Just as the synthesis of DA and NA is similar so is their metabolism. They are both substrates for monoamine oxidase (MAO) and catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). In the brain MAO is found in, or attached to, the membrane of the intraneuronal mitochondria. Thus it is only able to deaminate DA which has been taken up into nerve endings and blockade of DA uptake leads to a marked reduction in the level of its deaminated metabolites and in particular DOPAC. The final metabolite, homovanillic... 

Multiple doses of MDMA or MDA resulted in a further decline in TPH activity (figure 4). In contrast to METH, however, neither MDA nor MDMA altered neostriatal TH activity. The decrease in TPH activity was accompanied by a dramatic decrease in 5-HT and 5-HIAA concentrations these changes in TPH activity and in 5-hydroxyindole content also occurred in other serotonergic terminal areas such as the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. Both neostriatal DA and homovanillic acid (HVA) were initially elevated 3 hours after a single dose of MDMA, but had returned to normal... 

The effect of PCP-like drugs was also studied in vivo. In these experiments, the ability of these drugs to enhance haloperidol-induced DA metabolism was assessed by measuring DA and homovanil-11c acid (HVA) concentrations in the striatum. In this paradigm, saline or drug was administered (SC) immediately after the administration of 0.1. mg/kg ha 1 operido 1. The rats were killed 45 minutes later, and DA and HVA levels were estimated fluorometri-tal ly (Snel 1 et al. 1984). 

Figure 2 Selective electrochemical detection of a mixture on multielectrode amper-ometry. AA = Ascorbic acid, NE = norepinephrine, DOPAC = 3-4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid, E = epinephrine bitartrate, 5-HIAA = 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, HVA = homovanillic acid, TRP = tryptophan, 5-HT = 5-hydroxytryptamine, and 3-MT = 3-methoxytyramine (separated by RPLC). Detection was with a 4-electrode glassy carbon array, with electrode 1 at 500 m V) electrode 2 at 700 mV, electrode 3 at 900 mV, and electrode 4 at 1100 mV. Note that at electrode 1, HVA, TRP, and 3-MT are not seen. At electrode 2, only TRP is not seen. A standard calomel electrode was used as reference. (Reprinted with permission from Hoogvliet, J. C., Reijn, J. M., and van Bennekom, W. P., Anal. Chem., 63, 2418, 1991. 1991 Analytical Chemistry.)...

Once returned to the presynaptic terminal, dopamine is repackaged into synaptic vesicles via the vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT) or metabolized to dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) by monoamine oxidase (MAO). Two alternative pathways are available for dopamine catabolism in the synapse, depending on whether the first step is catalyzed by MAO or catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT). Thus, dopamine can be either deaminated to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) or methylated to 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT). In turn, deamination of 3-MT and methylation of DOPAC leads to homovanillic acid (HVA). In humans, cerebrospinal fluid levels of HVA have been used as a proxy for levels of dopaminergic activity within the brain (Stanley et al. 1985). 

Court, J., Lloyd, S., Thomas, N. et al. Dopamine and nicotinic receptor binding and the levels of dopamine and homovanillic acid in human brain related to tobacco use. Neuroscience. 87 63, 1998. 

FIGURE 46-3 Synthesis and metabolism of dopamine. MAO, monoamine oxidase COMT, catechol-O-methyltransferase HVA, homovanillic acid DOPAC, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid. 

Altered dopaminergic system function has been implicated in major depression. Patients with major depression have been reported to have lower CSF levels of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) compared to nondepressed controls, with more severely depressed patients having still lower CSF HVA levels (see [42] for a... 

Numerous reports of altered neurotransmitter and hormone functions which have been associated with the affective disorders are reviewed by Levell [142]. It was originally proposed that one or more of the neurotransmitter amines in the brain (norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin) may be functionally elevated in manic patients and reduced in depressed patients [143]. For instance, an increase in the production of dopamine, observed in a number of case reports, is thought to be the cause of the switch into the manic phase in bipolar patients. For example, Bunney et al. reported an increase in the level of homovanillic acid (HVA), a... 

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