Abstract
The effects of elevated levels of GABA, glycine, or taurine on the rate of protein synthesis in plasma, brain, liver, and muscle of adult mice were measured in in vivo experiments after a flooding dose of labeled valine. Elevation of these amino acids caused hypothermia; keeping the animals in an incubator maintained physiological body temperature. The increase in GABA or glycine did not affect the rate of protein synthesis in these tissues to a significant degree. The increase in taurine levels caused inhibition of valine incorporation in plasma, liver, and muscle, while brain protein synthesis was unaffected. When glycine was increased in brain, the uptake of labeled free valine in the brain was greater.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Tewari, S., andBaxter, C. F., 1969. Stimulatory effect of γ-aminobutyric acid upon amino acid incorporation into protein by a ribosomal system from immature rat brain. J. Neurochem. 16:171–180.
Snodgrass, S. R., 1973. Studies on GABA and protein synthesis. Brain Res. 59:339–348.
Goertz, B., 1979. Effect of γ-aminobutyric acid on cell-free protein synthesizing systems from mouse brain. Exp. Brain Res., 34:365–372.
Tapia, R.,, andSandoval, M., 1974. Possible participation of gamma-aminobutyric acid in the regulation of protein synthesis in brain, in vivo. Brain Res. 69:255–263.
Lapinjoki, S. P., Pajunen, A. E. I., Hietala, A. O., andPiha, R. S., 1980. The effect of changes in GABA metabolism on the activities ofl-ornithine and S-adenosyl-l-methionine decarboxylases and protein synthesis in mouse brain. Acta Univ. Oul. 29:31–38.
Toth, E., andLajtha, A., 1981. Elevation of cerebral levels of nonessential amino acids in vivo by administration of large doses. Neurochem. Res. 6:(12) 1309–1317.
Dunlop, D. S., van Elden, W., andLajtha, A., 1975. A method for measuring brain protein synthesis rates in young and adult rats. J. Neurochem. 24:337–344.
Toth, E., andLajtha, A., 1980. Effect of protein-free diet on the uptake of amino acids by the brain in vivo. Exp. Neurol. 68:443–452.
Lajtha, A., andToth, E. J., 1976. Postmortem changes in the cerebral free amino acid pool. Brain Res. 76:546–551.
Toth, E., andLajtha, A., 1981. Alcohol effects on cerebral protein turnover in mice. Subst. Alc. Act./Misuse 2:321–329.
Hruska, E. R., Ihunt, P. D., Huxtable, R., andBressler, R., 1976. Hypothermia produced by taurine. Pages 347–356,in R. Huxtable andBarbeau, A. (eds.). Taurine, Raven Press, New York.
Lajtha, A., andDunlop, D., 1981. Turnover of protein in the nervous system. Life Sci. 29:755–767.
Toth, E., Lajtha, A., Shakir, S., andSeiler, N. 1983. Anticonvulsant effects of some inhibitory neurotransmitter amino acids. Neurochem. Res. 8:291–302.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Toth, E., Lajtha, A. Brain protein synthesis rates are not sensitive to elevated GABA, taurine, or glycine. Neurochem Res 9, 173–179 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00964165
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00964165