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Effects of ageing on the content in sulfur-containing amino acids in rat brain

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Summary

Concentrations of the sulfur-containing amino acids methionine, homocysteic acid, cysteic acid and taurine were measured in brain structures of young and old Wistar rats in an attempt to etablish a possible link between the increase in oxidative stress with ageing and changes in tissue levels of these amino acids. Contrary to data reported by others, in all brain structures of young and old rats homocysteic acid levels could not be quantified. Compared with young rats, in old animals taurine and methionine concentrations significantly decreased in striatum and cortex; decreased taurine levels were also found in nucleus accumbens and cerebellum and lower concentrations of methionine were found in midbrain, hippocampus and pons-medulla. Cysteic acid levels either did not change or significantly increased in cortex and hippocampus. These results are discussed taking into account the biosynthesis of sulfur-containing amino acids in rat brain and the decrease in glutathione in relation to oxidative stress with ageing.

Changes in aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, glutamine, glycine and GABA concentrations with ageing were also determined in the same brain structures and were in good agreement with those previously reported

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Abbreviations

H 2O2 :

hydrogen peroxide

MAO :

monoamine oxidase

GSHP :

glutathione peroxidase

PAPS :

3′-phosphoadenosine-5′-phosphosulfate

OPA :

O-phthaldialdehyde

HPLC :

high performance liquid chromatography

Asp :

aspartic acid

CA :

cysteic acid

CSA :

cysteine sulfinic acid

Cys :

cysteine

GABA :

γ-aminobutyric acid

Gln :

glutamine

Glu :

glutamic acid

Gly :

glycine

HCA :

homocysteic acid

Met :

methionine

Ser :

serine

Tau :

taurine

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  1. P. Dostert

    Present address: Research and Development - Erbamont Group, Farmitalia Carlo Erba, Milan, Italy

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  1. Research and Development - Erbamont Group, Farmitalia Carlo Erba, Milan, Italy

    M. Strolin Benedetti, A. Russo & P. Marrari

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Benedetti, M.S., Russo, A., Marrari, P. et al. Effects of ageing on the content in sulfur-containing amino acids in rat brain. J. Neural Transmission 86, 191–203 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01250705

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