Biopterin in human brain and urine from controls and parkinsonian patients: application of a new radioimmunoassay.
Total biopterin concentrations in the post-mortem human brain (caudate nucleus) and in the urine of controls and parkinsonian patients were measured by a newly developed radioimmunoassay. There was good correlation between the total biopterin level and tyrosine hydroxylase activity in the human brain. Biopterin concentrations in the caudate nucleus were greatly reduced in parkinsonian patients. In contrast, the reduction of urinary biopterin in parkinsonian patients was slight and not statistically significant, as compared with normal controls.
D000368:Aged; D001708:Biopterins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000652:urine; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011621:Pteridines / Q000032:analysis*; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
D011621:Pteridines; D001708:Biopterins; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase