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Stimulation of choline acetyl transferase activity by l‐ and d‐carnitine in brain areas of neonate rats
Author(s) -
Ayala C. A.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of neuroscience research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.72
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1097-4547
pISSN - 0360-4012
DOI - 10.1002/jnr.490410313
Subject(s) - acetylcarnitine , carnitine , striatum , choline , transferase , stimulation , acetylcholine , hippocampus , choline acetyltransferase , cholinergic , cerebral cortex , cholinergic neuron , chemistry , endocrinology , medicine , neuroscience , biology , biochemistry , enzyme , dopamine
Acetyl‐CoA supply to the cytosol and its regulatory influence on acetylcholine biosynthesis is still an unsolved question. Acetylcarnitine through the carnitine acetyl transferase (CarAT) system has been proposed to be the acetyl donor in this process. Carnitine isomers were injected into rat developing brains every day for 14 days after birth. Results showed that carnitine and its associated forms produced a choline acetyl transferase (ChAT) activity increase in the striatum and the hippocampus. Carnitine acetyl transferase activity was stimulated by the treatment of 1‐carnitine in the hippocampus but it remained unchanged in the striatum and the cerebral cortex. These results suggest that ChAT and CarAT activities might be modulated by Acetyl‐CoA derived preferentially from acetylcarnitine. It is suggested that ChAT activity enhancement depends on intrinsic and extrinsic cholinergic afferents to these brain areas. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.