TY - JOUR
T1 - Heme precursor 5‐aminolevulinic acid alters brain tryptophan and serotonin levels without changing pineal serotonin and melatonin concentrations
AU - Daya, S.
AU - Nonaka, K. O.
AU - Buzzell, G. R.
AU - Reiter, R. J.
PY - 1989/7
Y1 - 1989/7
N2 - The daytime administration of the heme precursor 5‐aminolevulinate (5‐ALA) has been shown to reduce brain tryptophan and serotonin levels owing to saturation of liver tryptophan pyrrolase. Saturation of this enzyme with heme results in enhanced activity, leading to increased catabolism of tryptophan and thus making less tryptophan available to the brain. Tryptophan is also the precursor of melatonin, a primary secretory product of the pineal gland. Reduced melatonin levels, which could be a consequence of altered tryptophan metabolism, have been associated with depressive disorders in humans. In view of this, in the present study we examined the effects of 5‐ALA administration on forebrain tryptophan and serotonin levels as well as pineal serotonin, melatonin, and the pineal melatonin‐forming enzymes N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole‐O‐methyltransferase (HIOMT). 5‐ALA induced a reduction in forebrain tryptophan and serotonin levels during the light phase and caused the opposite effect in the dark phase. Allopurinol, an inhibitor of hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase activity, prevented the reduction in the indole levels induced by 5‐ALA. Although 5‐ALA induced these changes in the forebrain, it did not alter either daytime or nighttime pineal NAT, HIMOT, serotonin, or melatonin levels. It appears that high serotonin levels and melatonin production in the pineal are conserved even in the face of low circulating tryptophan levels, changes which alter brain tryptophan and serotonin concentrations.
AB - The daytime administration of the heme precursor 5‐aminolevulinate (5‐ALA) has been shown to reduce brain tryptophan and serotonin levels owing to saturation of liver tryptophan pyrrolase. Saturation of this enzyme with heme results in enhanced activity, leading to increased catabolism of tryptophan and thus making less tryptophan available to the brain. Tryptophan is also the precursor of melatonin, a primary secretory product of the pineal gland. Reduced melatonin levels, which could be a consequence of altered tryptophan metabolism, have been associated with depressive disorders in humans. In view of this, in the present study we examined the effects of 5‐ALA administration on forebrain tryptophan and serotonin levels as well as pineal serotonin, melatonin, and the pineal melatonin‐forming enzymes N‐acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyindole‐O‐methyltransferase (HIOMT). 5‐ALA induced a reduction in forebrain tryptophan and serotonin levels during the light phase and caused the opposite effect in the dark phase. Allopurinol, an inhibitor of hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase activity, prevented the reduction in the indole levels induced by 5‐ALA. Although 5‐ALA induced these changes in the forebrain, it did not alter either daytime or nighttime pineal NAT, HIMOT, serotonin, or melatonin levels. It appears that high serotonin levels and melatonin production in the pineal are conserved even in the face of low circulating tryptophan levels, changes which alter brain tryptophan and serotonin concentrations.
KW - 5‐aminolevulinate
KW - melatonin
KW - pineal gland
KW - serotonin
KW - tryp‐ tophan
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U2 - 10.1002/jnr.490230309
DO - 10.1002/jnr.490230309
M3 - Article
C2 - 2769795
AN - SCOPUS:0024327253
VL - 23
SP - 304
EP - 309
JO - Journal of Neuroscience Research
JF - Journal of Neuroscience Research
SN - 0360-4012
IS - 3
ER -