Allylglycine affects acetylation of putrescine and spermidine in mouse brain.
Administration of allylglycine to mice (.8 mmole/kg, i.p.) results in a depletion of GABA levels, and it is accompanied by a decrease in SAM-DC activity and spermidine and spermine levels (Pajunen et al., 1979). Here we describe a biphasic effect on the acetylation of putrescine and spermidine in mouse brain homogenate. There appears to be an inverse correlation between the initial decrease in spermidine levels at 2 hours and the increase in the acetylation of spermidine. This is suggestive of a conversion of spermidine, probably through N1-acetylspermidine to putrescine. The peak of putrescine acetylation observed by us at 4 hours may also reflect a conversion of putrescine, via acetylputrescine to GABA. The interconversion hypothesis is supported by the fact that putrescine levels remain essentially stable in spite of a significant depletion of spermidine and spermine. In addition, there is a decrease in putrescine and spermidine acetylation at 8 hours, which coincides with the increase in ODC activity and the increase towards control levels of GAD activity (Pajunen et al., 1979). Such inverse correlations suggest a mechanism for replenishment of polyamines once GAD activity returns to control levels.
D000107:Acetylation; D000501:Allylglycine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005998:Glycine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D008623:Mercaptoethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010293:Pargyline / Q000494:pharmacology; D011700:Putrescine / Q000378:metabolism*; D013095:Spermidine / Q000378:metabolism*
D000501:Allylglycine; D008623:Mercaptoethanol; D010293:Pargyline; D005998:Glycine; D013095:Spermidine; D011700:Putrescine