Liquid chromatographic-fluorimetric method for the estimation of nitric oxide biosynthesis in the central nervous system.
Some amino acids are involved in the biosynthesis of nitric oxide (NO), which has a physiological and pathophysiological role. To study NO biosynthesis, we compared arginine and citrulline levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with infectious and/or inflammatory processes within the central nervous system (CNS), with those from patients without those disorders. Arginine concentration was not significantly different between the groups (P = 0.115), whereas citrulline was significantly elevated in the first group (P = 0.020). We propose a simple chromatographic method to estimate NO biosynthesis ex vivo within the CNS, that may be applicable for the study of neurodegenerative and psychiatric diseases such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
Pérez-Neri
Iván
I
Department of Neurochemistry of the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Insurgentes Sur 3877 Col. La Fama, 14269 Tlalpan, Mexico City, Mexico.
Montes
Sergio
S
Boll
Marie-Catherine
MC
Ramírez-Bermúdez
Jesús
J
Ríos
Camilo
C
D000328:Adult; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005470:Fluorometry / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D009569:Nitric Oxide