title: Stereospecific acute neuronotoxicity of 'uncommon' plant amino acids linked to human motor-system diseases.
abstract: The L-isomer of beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA), present in free form in seed of Cycas circinalis, elicits in spinal cord cultures a pattern of acute postsynaptic neuronal vacuolation comparable to that induced by beta-N-oxalylamino-L-alanine (BOAA), an excitotoxic amino acid of greater potency isolated from seed of Lathyrus sativus. The neuronotoxic properties of these compounds may be linked to the etiology of motor-system degenerative disorders (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and lathyrism, respectively) found in human groups that have used these plant seeds for food.
mesh_terms: D000409:Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; D007536:Isomerism; D051379:Mice; D009468:Neuromuscular Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D012639:Seeds; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D015091:beta-Alanine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000633:toxicity
chemical_list: D000599:Amino Acids, Diamino; D000087522:Cyanobacteria Toxins; C001824:beta-N-methylamino-L-alanine; D015091:beta-Alanine; C100126:oxalyldiaminopropionic acid; D000409:Alanine