TY - JOUR
T1 - p-ethynylphenylalanine
T2 - A potent inhibitor of tryptophan hydroxylase
AU - Stokes, Alan H.
AU - Xu, Yimei
AU - Daunais, James A.
AU - Tamir, Hadassah
AU - Gershon, Michael D.
AU - Butkerait, Paul
AU - Kayser, Bernd
AU - Altman, Janina
AU - Beck, Wolfgang
AU - Vrana, Kent E.
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin biosynthesis. The enzyme activity is dependent on molecular oxygen, a tetrahydropterin cosubstrate, and ferrous iron. The present study demonstrates that TPH is inhibited by a novel compound, p- ethynylphenylalanine (pEPA), produced by the Heck reaction of trimethylsilylacetylene with N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-4-iodo-L-phenylalanine methyl ester. pEPA is a more potent and specific inhibitor of TPH than p- chlorophenylalanine (pCPA). In the present study, pEPA was demonstrated to inhibit competitively and reversibly TPH in vitro (K(i) = 32.6 θ 6.2 μM vs. tryptophan). pEPA displayed little inhibitory activity toward tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.16.2), the initial and rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine biosynthesis, and no inhibition of phenylalanine hydroxylase or tyrosinase. In addition, pEPA was a poor ligand for the serotonin transporter and several serotonin receptors. Administration of pEPA (30 mg/kg) to rats produced a 95 ± 5% decrease in TPH activity in brain homogenates and a concomitant decrease in serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid levels (85%) at 24 h after injection. In contrast, pCPA produced a similar effect (87 ± 5% decrease in TPH activity) only at 10 times the concentration (300 mg/kg). These results suggest that pEPA is a selective, reversible, and potent inhibitor of TPH both in vitro and in vivo. The potential for pEPA to inhibit selectively and reversibly the biosynthesis of serotonin may contribute to the characterization of the role of serotonin in behavioral and physiological activities.
AB - Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) is the initial and rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin biosynthesis. The enzyme activity is dependent on molecular oxygen, a tetrahydropterin cosubstrate, and ferrous iron. The present study demonstrates that TPH is inhibited by a novel compound, p- ethynylphenylalanine (pEPA), produced by the Heck reaction of trimethylsilylacetylene with N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-4-iodo-L-phenylalanine methyl ester. pEPA is a more potent and specific inhibitor of TPH than p- chlorophenylalanine (pCPA). In the present study, pEPA was demonstrated to inhibit competitively and reversibly TPH in vitro (K(i) = 32.6 θ 6.2 μM vs. tryptophan). pEPA displayed little inhibitory activity toward tyrosine hydroxylase (EC 1.14.16.2), the initial and rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine biosynthesis, and no inhibition of phenylalanine hydroxylase or tyrosinase. In addition, pEPA was a poor ligand for the serotonin transporter and several serotonin receptors. Administration of pEPA (30 mg/kg) to rats produced a 95 ± 5% decrease in TPH activity in brain homogenates and a concomitant decrease in serotonin and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid levels (85%) at 24 h after injection. In contrast, pCPA produced a similar effect (87 ± 5% decrease in TPH activity) only at 10 times the concentration (300 mg/kg). These results suggest that pEPA is a selective, reversible, and potent inhibitor of TPH both in vitro and in vivo. The potential for pEPA to inhibit selectively and reversibly the biosynthesis of serotonin may contribute to the characterization of the role of serotonin in behavioral and physiological activities.
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2000.0742067.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1471-4159.2000.0742067.x
M3 - Article
C2 - 10800950
AN - SCOPUS:0034048660
SN - 0022-3042
VL - 74
SP - 2067
EP - 2073
JO - Journal of neurochemistry
JF - Journal of neurochemistry
IS - 5
ER -