Maternal caffeine ingestion increases the tyrosine level in neonatal rat cerebrum.
The cerebral free amino acids in neonatal rats, from dams given 0.04% caffeine in the drinking fluid ad libitum before and/or during pregnancy throughout the lactational period, were examined on days 1, 5 and 10. Significantly reduced cerebral weight was observed on day 1 with a mean caffeine level of 7 micrograms/g wet weight. The tyrosine concentration in the cerebrum, but not that in the liver, was increased on days 1 and 5 with approximate mean caffeine levels of above 1.5-2.0 micrograms/g wet weight. The tyrosine level showed a positive correlation with the caffeine level in neonatal cerebrum only on day 1 in the group with caffeine ingestion after pregnancy. There was no significant increase in the fetal cerebral concentration of MOPEG-SO4 on day 5 with maternal caffeine. These results suggest that maternal caffeine disturbs the neonatal cerebrum through tyrosine and tyrosine hydroxylase, and then produces behavioral abnormalities in developing rats.
Tanaka
H
H
Division of Mental Retardation and Birth Defect Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, NCNP, Tokyo, Japan.
Nakazawa
K
K
D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000378:metabolism*; D000833:Animals, Suckling; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D008099:Liver / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D009929:Organ Size; D011247:Pregnancy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013806:Theophylline / Q000378:metabolism; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000378:metabolism*
D000596:Amino Acids; C030284:3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol sulfate; D002110:Caffeine; D014443:Tyrosine; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D013806:Theophylline