F. Hirata, O. Hayaishi, T. Tokuyama
Feb 25, 1974
Citations
16
Influential Citations
296
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Journal
The Journal of biological chemistry
Abstract
Abstract A partially purified enzyme from rabbit brain catalyzed the oxygenative cleavage of the pyrrole moiety of melatonin yielding Nγ-acetyl-N2-formyl-5-methoxykynurenamine, which was further degraded to Nγ-acetyl-5-methoxykynurenamine by the action of formamidase. Authentic samples of these two metabolites were synthesized by ozonolysis of melatonin and were shown to be indistinguishable from the enzymic products. When [14C]melatonin was injected intracisternally, the major metabolite in the rat brain was shown to be Nγ-acetyl-5-methoxykynurenamine. The results indicate that these two new metabolites are involved in the major metabolic pathway of melatonin in the central nervous system.