Xanthurenic acid: A role in brain intercellular signaling
Michel Maitre1, Omar Taleb1, Hélène Jeltsch-David1,2
1Biopathologie de la Myéline, Neuroprotection et Stratégies Thérapeutiques, INSERM U1119, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Université de Strasbourg, Bâtiment CRBS de la Faculté de Médecine, Strasbourg, France.
Journal of Neurochemistry
|March 14, 2024
Summary
Xanthurenic acid (XA) acts as a signaling molecule in the brain, binding to a specific receptor on neurons. This neurotransmitter influences dopamine release and may play a role in neurological conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Xanthurenic acid (XA) exhibits oxidizing, metal-chelating, and detoxifying properties.
- Limited understanding exists regarding XA's precise roles and mechanisms within the central nervous system (CNS).
Purpose of the Study:
- To critically review and synthesize current knowledge on XA's properties and neuronal activities.
- To elucidate XA's central functions and mechanisms of action in the brain.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing scientific literature on Xanthurenic acid.
- Analysis of data concerning XA's interaction with neuronal systems.
Main Results:
- Identification of a specific G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) for XA exclusively in brain neurons.
- Demonstration of Ca2+-dependent dendritic release and electrophysiological responses mediated by XA.
- XA stimulates cerebral dopamine (DA) release, unlike its analog kynurenic acid (KYNA).
Conclusions:
- XA functions as a brain-specific intercellular signaling compound.
- The KYNA/XA ratio may be crucial for regulating brain glutamate and DA release.
- XA may serve as a homeostatic signal between the periphery and the brain, with implications for psychoses and neurodegenerative diseases.
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