Conversion of 4-aminobutyraldehyde to gamma-aminobutyric acid in retina.
4-Aminobutyraldehyde (ABAL) was shown to be converted to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the rat retina in vivo as well as in vitro. The results suggest that ABAL can easily cross the blood-retinal barrier and be rapidly oxidized to GABA in the retina. The conversion of ABAL to GABA also occurred in retinas treated with kainic acid, which greatly reduced glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity. Therefore, it is suggested that the conversion in the retina is independent of the GAD pathway and may occur not only in GABAergic neurons but also in glia or photoreceptor cells.
Matsushima
S
S
Department of Ophthalmology, Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
Mizuno
A
A
Matsuda
M
M
D000447:Aldehydes / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001813:Blood-Retinal Barrier; D007608:Kainic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000378:metabolism*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D000447:Aldehydes; C006509:4-aminobutyraldehyde; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D007608:Kainic Acid