Abstract
Human plasma contains several catechols, including the catecholamines norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine, their precursor, l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA), and their deaminated metabolites, dihydroxyphenylglycol, the main neuronal metabolite of norepinephrine, and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid, a deaminated metabolite of dopamine. Products of metabolism of catechols include 3-methoxytyrosine (from l-DOPA), homovanillic acid and dopamine sulfate (from dopamine), normetanephrine, vanillylmandelic acid, and methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol (from norepinephrine), and metanephrine (from epinephrine). Plasma levels of catechols and their metabolites have related but distinct sources and therefore reflect different functions of catecholamine systems. This article provides an update about plasma levels of catechols and their metabolites and the relevance of those levels to some issues in human health and disease.
Footnotes
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Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at http://jpet.aspetjournals.org.
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DOI: 10.1124/jpet.103.049270.
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ABBREVIATIONS: DOPA, l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine; DOPAC, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid; DHPG, dihydroxyphenylglycol; ADH, alcohol dehydrogenase; COMT, catechol-O-methyltransferase; DBH, dopamine-β-hydroxylase; MAO, monoamine oxidase; MHPG, methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; HVA, homovanillic acid; VMA, vanillylmandelic acid; BH4, tetrahydrobiopterin; LAAAD, l-aromatic-amino acid decarboxylase; NE, norepinephrine; PST, phenolsulfotransferase; DA, dopamine.
- Received January 28, 2003.
- Accepted March 18, 2003.
- The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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