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Tryptophan is a marker of human postmortem brain tissue quality
Author(s) -
Grünblatt Edna,
Monoranu Camelia Maria,
Apfelbacher Manuela,
Keller Daniela,
Michel Tanja M.,
Alafuzoff Irina,
Ferrer Isidro,
AlSaraj Safa,
Keyvani Kathy,
Schmitt Andrea,
Falkai Peter,
Schittenhelm Jens,
McLean Catriona,
Halliday Glenda M.,
Harper Clive,
Deckert Jürgen,
Roggendorf Wolfgang,
Riederer Peter
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of neurochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.75
H-Index - 229
eISSN - 1471-4159
pISSN - 0022-3042
DOI - 10.1111/j.1471-4159.2009.06233.x
Subject(s) - tryptophan , postmortem changes , human brain , brain tissue , biology , pathology , neuroscience , medicine , biochemistry , amino acid
Postmortem human brain tissue is widely used in neuroscience research, but use of tissue originating from different brain bank centers is considered inaccurate because of possible heterogeneity in sample quality. There is thus a need for well‐characterized markers to assess the quality of postmortem brain tissue. Toward this aim, we determined tryptophan (TRP) concentrations, phosphofructokinase‐1 and glutamate decarboxylase activities in 119 brain tissue samples. These neurochemical parameters were tested in samples from autopsied individuals, including control and pathological cases provided by 10 different brain bank centers. Parameters were assessed for correlation with agonal state, postmortem interval, age and gender, brain region, preservation and freezing methods, storage conditions and storage time, RNA integrity, and tissue pH value. TRP concentrations were elevated significantly ( p = 0.045) with increased postmortem interval; which might indicate increased protein degradation. Therefore, TRP concentration might be one useful and convenient marker for estimating the quality of human postmortem brain tissue.