title: Glutamate dehydrogenase activity in leukocytes and ageing.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) is an intracellular enzyme normally located in mitochondria and the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The metabolism of neuroexcitotoxic glutamate is lowered in many neurodegenerative disorders.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Defining the GLDH activity in leukocytes can provide indirect data about neurodegenerative processes in the brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have developed our own method of defining the GLDH activity in leukocytes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GLDH activity was researched in the leukocytes of 130 healthy subjects (45 females, 85 males). The mean catalytic activity was 0.618 +/- 0.380 mu kat/g. The highest values were discovered in <30-year-old persons: 0.772 +/- 0.434 mu kat/g (0.712 +/- 0.406 mu kat/g in men, 0.934 +/- 0.5 mu kat/g in women). The GLDH activity decreases more slowly in the 30- to 60-year age group, yet evidently more rapidly afterwards, particularly in men, where the activity drops to 0.333 mu kat/g and in women to 0.414 mu kat/g. The older persons had a lower leukocyte GLDH activity than the younger ones (ANOVA, p = 0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gradual decrease in GLDH activity may be one of the key factors for neurodegenerative ageing processes.
authors.affiliation: Ormoz Psychiatric Hospital, Ormoz, Slovenia. mk4@siol.net
authors.forename: Matej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kravos
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Malesic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002384:Catalysis; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D057075:Enzyme Assays / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D005969:Glutamate Dehydrogenase