PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Huang, Alex S.
AU  - Beigneux, Anne
AU  - Weil, Zachary M.
AU  - Kim, Paul M.
AU  - Molliver, Mark E.
AU  - Blackshaw, Seth
AU  - Nelson, Randy J.
AU  - Young, Stephen G.
AU  - Snyder, Solomon H.
TI  - <span class="sc">d</span>-Aspartate Regulates Melanocortin Formation and Function: Behavioral Alterations in <span class="sc">d</span>-Aspartate Oxidase-Deficient Mice
AID  - 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.5060-05.2006
DP  - 2006 Mar 08
TA  - The Journal of Neuroscience
PG  - 2814--2819
VI  - 26
IP  - 10
4099  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/26/10/2814.short
4100  - http://www.jneurosci.org/content/26/10/2814.full
SO  - J. Neurosci.2006 Mar 08; 26
AB  - 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/α-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.