title: Fast enzymatic preparation of L-dopa from tyrosine and molecular oxygen: a potential method for preparing [15O]L-dopa.
abstract: A fast, simple and inexpensive enzymatic preparation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl-L-alanine (L-DOPA) from molecular oxygen and tyrosine using mushroom tyrosinase is described. The theoretical incubation time for production of [15O]L-DOPA with maximal specific activity from [15O]O2 can be calculated to be about 3 min. In practice, using a specially-designed glass reaction chamber to facilitate the incorporation of gaseous molecular oxygen into L-DOPA with zero lag-time, a 3 min reaction with 1% oxygen in nitrogen results in the formation of approx. 3.9 mumols of L-DOPA, representing conversion of about 14% of the tyrosine substrate. Given access to a supply of [15O]O2, the method should be applicable to the preparation of [15O]L-DOPA for use as a PET tracer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, CA 94305.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Maddaluno
authors.forename: K F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Faull
mesh_terms: D007980:Levodopa / Q000378:metabolism*; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D014443:Tyrosine; D007980:Levodopa; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase