Kynurenic acid synthesis by human glioma.
Biopsy material from human gliomas obtained during neurosurgery was used to investigate whether pathological human brain tissue is capable of producing kynurenic acid (KYNA), a natural brain metabolite which can act as an antagonist at excitatory amino acid receptors. Upon in vitro exposure to 40, 200 or 1000 microM L-kynurenine, the immediate bioprecursor of KYNA, freshly prepared tissue slices in a dose-dependent fashion produced KYNA which was detected in the incubation medium. De novo synthesized KYNA was identified by several chromatographic procedures. Astrocytomas produced significantly more KYNA than glioblastomas.
Vezzani
A
A
Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri, Milano, Italy.
Gramsbergen
J B
JB
Versari
P
P
Stasi
M A
MA
Procaccio
F
F
Schwarcz
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D007736:Kynurenic Acid