Stereospecificity of the gliotoxic and anti-neurotoxic actions of alpha-aminoadipate.
The glutamate (Glu) analog, DL-alpha-aminoadipate (DL-alpha AA), and the separate D and L isomers of alpha AA, were administered subcutaneously to infant mice and histopathological effects on the arcuate hypothalamic (AH) nucleus were studied. L-alpha AA induced striking gliotoxic and neurotoxic changes; D-alpha AA and DL-alpha AA respectively induced mild and extreme gliotoxic but not neurotoxic changes. The neurotoxicity of L-alpha AA is of interest in view of its known neuroexcitatory potential. The non-neurotoxicity of DL-alpha AA implies effective antagonism by D-alpha AA of the neurotoxicity of L-alpha AA, which is of interest in that D-alpha AA is recognized as an effective antagonist of amino acid excitants and is thought to block specifically at the excitatory receptor.
D015074:2-Aminoadipic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity*; D000600:Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic / Q000633:toxicity*; D000818:Animals; D004805:Ependyma / Q000187:drug effects; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051379:Mice; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000187:drug effects*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013237:Stereoisomerism
D000600:Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic; D009498:Neurotoxins; D015074:2-Aminoadipic Acid