Metabolism of the glutamate group of amino acids in rat brain as a function of age

Abstract

Metabolism of the glutamate group of amino acids--glutamic acid, gamma-amino-butyric acid, glutamine, aspartic acid and alanine--was studied in the brain of rat as a function of age. The levels of glutamic acid, glutamine and aspartic acid decreased while those of gamma-aminobutyric acid, and alanine increased with age. The results on the activity of the twelve enzymes involved in the metabolism showed that five of them (glutamate dehydrogenase, glutamine synthase, gamma-aminobutyric acid transaminase, succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase and NAD+-isocitrate dehydrogenase) decreased, while four of them (glutaminase, glutamotransferase, glutamic acid decarboxylase, and alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase) increased. The other three enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase and NADP+-isocitrate dehydrogenase) did not show any significant change in activity. An age-related increase was seen in alpha-ketoglutarate and ammonia, the intermediates involved in the metabolism of these amino acids. The changes in the level of these amino acids are discussed in relation to the altered energy metabolism during aging.