title: Neurochemical study of amino acids in rodent brain structures using an improved gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method.
abstract: The analysis of amino acid levels is crucial for neuroscience studies because of the roles of these molecules as neurotransmitters and their influence on behavior. The present study describes the distribution and levels of 16 amino acids (alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glycine, glutamic acid, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, sarcosine, serine, valine, and threonine) in brain tissues (prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus and cerebellum) and the serum. Neurochemical analysis was performed on Wistar rats and C57BL/6 mice using an efficient method for extraction, a fast microwave-assisted derivatization and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis. The amino acid concentration varied across brain regions for 14 of the 16 analyzed molecules, with detection limits ranging from 0.02±0.005μmolL(-1) to 7.07±0.05μmolL(-1). In rats, the concentrations of alanine, glycine, methionine, serine and threonine were higher in prefrontal cortex than in other areas, whereas in mice, the concentrations of glutamic acid, leucine and proline were highest in the hippocampus. In conclusion, this study provides a cerebral profile of amino acids in brain regions and the serum of rats and mice.
authors: Laboratório de Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena 190, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil; Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Mauro Cunha Xavier
authors: MC
authors: Pinto
authors: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Maria José Nunes
authors: MJ
authors: de Paiva
authors: Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciência Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Onésia Cristina
authors: OC
authors: Oliveira-Lima
authors: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Helvécio Costa
authors: HC
authors: Menezes
authors: Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Zenilda de Lourdes
authors: Zde L
authors: Cardeal
authors: Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa da Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte, R. Domingos Vieira, 590, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Marcus Vinícius
authors: MV
authors: Gomez
authors: Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciência Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors: Rodrigo Ribeiro
authors: RR
authors: Resende
authors: Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. Electronic address: renatogomez2000@yahoo.com.br.
authors: Renato Santiago
authors: RS
authors: Gomez
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids
keywords: Amino acids; Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; Neurochemistry; Rodents