title: Aromatic amino acids and pancreatic islet function: a comparison of L-tryptophan and L-5-hydroxytryptophan.
abstract: L-Tryptophan (4 mM) did not affect insulin release at 3 mM glucose but strongly potentiated glucose-induced (10 mM) insulin release in microdissected ob/ob mouse islets. The effect was concentration dependent with half-maximum at about 5 mM. 10 mM L-glutamate also enhanced the effect of 10 mM D-glucose on insulin release but L-phenylalanine, L-tyrosine, L-alanine, glycine and L-glutamine did not. 0.1 mM benserazide and 0.1 mM alpha-monofluoromethyldopa did not inhibit the effect of L-tryptophan. 1 mM aminooxyacetate reduced the potentiating effect of L-tryptophan but not that of L-5-hydroxytryptophan. 10 mM indole pyruvate stimulated basal insulin release but inhibited the effect of glucose. 10 mM L-glutamine did not enhance the stimulatory effect of indole pyruvate. 10 mM L-5-hydroxytryptophan reduced the effect of 10 mM L-glutamine on glucose oxidation. L-5-Hydroxytryptophan did not influence 14CO2 production from islets preloaded with [14C]glutamine but reduced the oxidation rate when [14C]glutamine was present in the incubation medium. Both L-tryptophan and L-5-hydroxytryptophan potentiate insulin release. The underlying mechanisms probably differ but do not seem to involve transaminations. The effect of L-5-hydroxytryptophan may be coupled to the activity of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase.
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D000078790:Insulin Secretion; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008820:Mice, Obese; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014364:Tryptophan / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007328:Insulin; D005973:Glutamine; D014364:Tryptophan; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan; D005947:Glucose