QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

HOME  |   SEARCH  |   ARCHIVE  |   SUBSCRIBE  |   CONTACT  |   HELP

The Journal of Neuroscience, March 8, 2006, 26(10):2814-2819; doi:10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5060-05.2006

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplemental data Submit an eLetter Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (8) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Huang, A. S. Articles by Snyder, S. H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Huang, A. S. Articles by Snyder, S. H.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Brief Communications
D-Aspartate Regulates Melanocortin Formation and Function: Behavioral Alterations in D-Aspartate Oxidase-Deficient Mice

Alex S. Huang,¹ Anne Beigneux,^4 * Zachary M. Weil,^5 * Paul M. Kim,² Mark E. Molliver,¹ Seth Blackshaw,¹ Randy J. Nelson,^5 ** Stephen G. Young,^4 ** and Solomon H. Snyder^1,2,3

Departments of ¹Neuroscience, ²Pharmacology, and ³Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, ⁴Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90095, and ⁵Departments of Psychology and Neuroscience, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210

Correspondence should be addressed to Solomon H. Snyder, Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205. Email: ssnyder{at}jhmi.edu

D-Aspartate, an abundant D-amino acid enriched in neuroendocrine tissues, can be degraded by D-aspartate oxidase (Ddo). To elucidate the function of D-aspartate, we generated mice with targeted deletion of Ddo (Ddo^–/–) and observe massive but selective augmentations of D-aspartate in various tissues. The pituitary intermediate lobe, normally devoid of D-aspartate from endogenous Ddo expression, manifests pronounced increases of immunoreactive D-aspartate in Ddo^–/– mice. Ddo^–/– mice show markedly diminished synthesis and levels of pituitary proopiomelanocortin/-MSH, associated with decreased melanocortin-dependent behaviors. Therefore, Ddo is the endogenous enzyme that degrades D-aspartate, and Ddo-enriched organs, low in D-aspartate, may represent areas of high turnover where D-aspartate may be physiologically important.

Key words: amino acid; neuroendocrine; knock-out mice; aspartate; turnover; behavior; proopiomelanocortin (POMC)

---

Received Nov. 18, 2005; revised Jan. 16, 2006; accepted Jan. 17, 2006.

Correspondence should be addressed to Solomon H. Snyder, Department of Neuroscience, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 725 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21205. Email: ssnyder{at}jhmi.edu

This article has been cited by other articles:

				F. Errico, S. Rossi, F. Napolitano, V. Catuogno, E. Topo, G. Fisone, A. D'Aniello, D. Centonze, and A. Usiello D-Aspartate Prevents Corticostriatal Long-Term Depression and Attenuates Schizophrenia-Like Symptoms Induced by Amphetamine and MK-801 J. Neurosci., October 8, 2008; 28(41): 10404 - 10414. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Yamamoto, H. Tanaka, T. Ishida, and K. Horiike Functional and Structural Characterization of D-Aspartate Oxidase from Porcine Kidney: Non-Michaelis Kinetics due to Substrate Activation J. Biochem., March 1, 2007; 141(3): 363 - 376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. F. Kim, A. S. Huang, A. M. Snowman, C. Teuscher, and S. H. Snyder From the Cover: Antipsychotic drug-induced weight gain mediated by histamine H1 receptor-linked activation of hypothalamic AMP-kinase PNAS, February 27, 2007; 104(9): 3456 - 3459. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home  |   Search  |   Archive  |   Subscribe  |   Contact  |   Help