Abstract
THE discovery of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) in mammalian brain was first reported in 19501,2. The product of this enzyme reaction is gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an important neuroinhibitor3. Because GABA occurs in large amounts in the central nervous system, subsequent interest in GAD emphasized its importance in brain to the exclusion of other tissues. But GABA is also present in significant amounts in human kidney4,5 and, because it is normally absent from blood, enzymatic synthesis in situ is the most likely explanation for its presence here. We report that GAD is in fact present in mammalian kidney and to a lesser extent in other tissues outside the central nervous system.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Roberts, E., and Frankel, S., J. Biol. Chem., 187, 55 (1950).
Wingo, W. J., and Awapara, J., J. Biol. Chem., 187, 267 (1950).
Roberts, E. (edit. by), Proc. Internat. Confer., New York (Pergamon, London, 1960).
Scriver, C. R., Pueschel, S., and Davies, E., New Engl. J. Med., 274, 636 (1966).
Zachman, M., Tocci, P., and Nyhan, W. L., J. Biol. Chem., 241, 1355 (1966).
Spackman, D. H., Stein, W. H., and Moore, S., Anal. Chem., 30, 1190 (1958).
Roberts, E., and Simonsen, D., Biochem. Pharmacol., 12, 113 (1963).
Scriver, C. R., and Whelan, D. T., Ann. NY Acad. Sci., 166, 83 (1969).
Susz, J. P., Haber, B., and Roberts, E., Biochemistry, 5, 2870 (1966).
Roberts, E., Wein, J., and Simonsen, D. G., Vitamins and Hormones, 22, 503 (1964).
McKhann, G. M., Albers, R. W., Sokoloff, L., Mickelsen, O., and Tower, D. B., in Inhibitions of the Nervous System and γ-Aminobutyric Acid (edit. by Roberts, E., et al.), 169 (Pergamon Press, London, 1960).
Pitts, R. F., and Stone, W. J., Proc. Third Intern. Cong. Nephrology, 1, 123 (Karger, New York, 1967).
Scriver, C. R., Pediatrics, 26, 62 (1960).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
WHELAN, D., SCRIVER, C. & MOHYUDDIN, F. Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase and Gamma-aminobutyric Acid in Mammalian Kidney. Nature 224, 916–917 (1969). https://doi.org/10.1038/224916a0
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/224916a0
This article is cited by
-
Binding of antibodies in sera from Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients to glutamate decarboxylase from rat tissues. Evidence for antigenic and non-antigenic forms of the enzyme
Diabetologia (1992)
-
Releasable GABA in tubular epithelium of rat kidney
Experientia (1991)
-
Postmortem increase of GABA levels in peripheral rat tissues: Prevention by 3-mercapto-propionic acid
Journal of Neural Transmission (1984)
-
Uptake of3H-GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) and3H-leucine in the pancreatic islets and substantia nigra of the rat
Experientia (1980)
-
Distribution and tissue specificity of 4-aminobutyrate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase
Neurochemical Research (1978)
Comments
By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.
