title: Inhibition by N-acetyl-aspartate of aspartate binding to a proteolipid fraction from rat cerebral cortex.
abstract: Many roles have been suggested for N-acetyl-aspartate in brain function because of it being located almost exclusively in that organ. However, its true role remains to be demonstrated. We show here that N-acetyl-aspartate: 1) binds to a hydrophobic protein fraction from the cerebral cortex of the rat, which specifically binds L-aspartate, L-glutamate, and gamma-amino-butyric acid; and 2) has a marked inhibitory effect on the aspartate binding sites of this proteolipid fraction. Structural analogs of N-acetyl-aspartate, i.e. N-carbamyl-aspartate and N-methyl-aspartate also inhibit the L-aspartate binding by the brain protein fraction used.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D011510:Proteolipids / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
chemical_list: D011510:Proteolipids; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP; C006893:ureidosuccinic acid