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Updated: Jul 2, 2025

Extraction of Non-Protein Amino Acids from Cyanobacteria for Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Analysis
Published on: December 9, 2022
How does the neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine exist in biological matrices and cause toxicity?
Min Li1, Jiangbing Qiu2, Guowang Yan1
1College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266100, China.
Abstract:
The neurotoxin β-N-methylamino-L-alanine (BMAA) has been deemed as a risk factor for some neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/parkinsonism dementia complex (ALS/PDC). This possible link has been proved in some primate models and cell cultures with the appearance that BMAA exposure can cause excitotoxicity, formation of protein aggregates, and/or oxidative stress. The neurotoxin BMAA extensively exists in the environment and can be transferred through the food web to human beings. In this review, the occurrence, toxicological mechanisms, and characteristics of BMAA were comprehensively summarized, and proteins and peptides were speculated as its possible binding substances in biological matrices. It is difficult to compare the published data from previous studies due to the inconsistent analytical methods and components of BMAA. The binding characteristics of BMAA should be focused on to improve our understanding of its health risk to human health in the future.
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