title: Retinoblastoma aqueous humor: aromatic amino acids.
abstract: Aqueous humor from children with retinoblastoma obtained at enucleation and from eyes with adult cataracts were assayed with electrochemical liquid chromatography (Model 5500 Coulochem electrode array system) for metabolites of tyrosine, tryptophan metabolic pathways, catecholamine degradation pathways and ascorbate. More than 20 metabolites were identified in human aqueous for the first time. High levels of ascorbate were found in aqueous of eyes with adult cataracts (254, 336 ng/ml). Tyrosine metabolism in both sets of eyes was through dopamine. Vandylmandelic acid (VMA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy, 4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) were all detected in retinoblastoma eyes. Although eyes with either adult cataracts or childhood retinoblastoma convert tryptophan through the serotonin pathway, retinoblastoma eyes metabolize tryptophan through the kynurenine pathway to a greater degree than adult cataract eyes.
authors.affiliation: New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, New York.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Abramson
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Senft
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Servodidio
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Ellsworth
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Gamache
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D001082:Aqueous Humor / Q000378:metabolism*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002386:Cataract / Q000378:metabolism; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000032:analysis; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D002395:Catecholamines; D001205:Ascorbic Acid