Abstract

Trimethyllysine (TML) is the putative precursor of carnitine in humans, but little direct experimental evidence exists for this conclusion. Understanding carnitine metabolism is important because it plays a major role in mitochondrial transport and oxidation of long chain fatty acids. Carnitine deficiency has life threatening consequences in infants if it is not detected and treated. Dietary supplementation provides an easy means to overcome the deficiency. Still, without clear understanding of the biosynthetic pathway in infants, the origin of carnitine deficiency cannot be fully understood. In this project, the putative carnitine precursors, TML, was administered to preterm infants, and carnitine levels in urine and plasma were analyzed by FAB-MS after esterification of the carboxyl group to enhance sensitivity. We also searched for the accumulation of possible intermediates, such as hydroxy-TML. The results showed that both TML and carnitine were present in higher concentration in urine and plasma after TML administration, but no intermediates were detected.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Center for Research Resources (NCRR)
Type
Biotechnology Resource Grants (P41)
Project #
5P41RR000480-27
Application #
5220576
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
27
Fiscal Year
1996
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Publications

Peri, S P; Bhadti, V S; Somerville-Armstrong, K S et al. (1999) Affinity reagents for cross-linking hemoglobin: bis(phenoxycarbonylethyl)phosphinic acid (BPCEP) and bis(3-nitrophenoxycarbonylethyl)phosphinic acid (BNCEP). Hemoglobin 23:1-20
Chen, H M; Sood, R; Hosmane, R S (1999) An efficient, short synthesis and potent anti-hepatitis B viral activity of a novel ring-expanded purine nucleoside analogue containing a 5:7-fused, planar, aromatic, imidazo[4,5-e][1,3]diazepine ring system. Nucleosides Nucleotides 18:331-5
Bretner, M; Beckett, T D; Sood, R K et al. (1999) Substrate/inhibition studies of bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase with the 5'-triphosphate derivative of a ring-expanded ('fat') nucleoside possessing potent antiviral and anticancer activities. Bioorg Med Chem 7:2931-6
Agasimundin, Y S; Mumper, M W; Hosmane, R S (1998) Inhibitors of glycogen phosphorylase b: synthesis, biochemical screening, and molecular modeling studies of novel analogues of hydantocidin. Bioorg Med Chem 6:911-23
Hosmane, R S; Peri, S P; Bhadti, V S et al. (1998) Bis[2-(4-carboxyphenoxy)carbonylethyl]phosphinic acid (BCCEP): a novel affinity reagent for the beta-cleft modification of human hemoglobin. Bioorg Med Chem 6:767-83
Rajappan, V P; Hosmane, R S (1998) Analogues of azepinomycin as inhibitors of guanase. Nucleosides Nucleotides 17:1141-51
Hosmane, R S; Hong, M (1997) How important is the N-3 sugar moiety in the tight-binding interaction of coformycin with adenosine deaminase? Biochem Biophys Res Commun 236:88-93
Lopez-Lara, I M; Orgambide, G; Dazzo, F B et al. (1993) Characterization and symbiotic importance of acidic extracellular polysaccharides of Rhizobium sp. strain GRH2 isolated from acacia nodules. J Bacteriol 175:2826-32
Watson, J T; Kayganich, K (1989) Novel sample preparation for analysis by electron capture negative ionization mass spectrometry. Biochem Soc Trans 17:254-7
Kassel, D B; Kayganich, K A; Watson, J T et al. (1988) Utility of ion source pretreatment with chlorine-containing compounds for enhanced performance in gas chromatography/negative ionization mass spectrometry. Anal Chem 60:911-7

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