PROTEIN CASES
A 60 years old woman suffers from cirrhosis of liver. Toxins such as ammonia are not properly metabolized by the liver and can damage the brain. Which of the following compounds should be in highest concentration in brain as result of detoxification of ammonia?
A) Alpha ketoglutarate
B) Glutamine
C) Glutamate
D) Gamma amino butyric acid
E) Asparagine
So the answer is C) Glutamate
A) Alpha ketoglutarate
B) Glutamine
C) Glutamate
D) Gamma amino butyric acid
E) Asparagine
So the answer is C) Glutamate
WHAT IS MEANS BY CIRRHOSIS OF LIVER?
Cirrhosis is a slowly progressing disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue, eventually preventing the liver from functioning properly. The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through theliver and slows the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, and naturally produced toxins.
SYMPTOMS OF CIRRHOSIS
Individuals with cirrhosis may have few or no symptoms and signs of liver disease. Some of the symptoms may be nonspecific, that is, they don't suggest that the liver is their cause. Some of the more common symptoms and signs of cirrhosis include:
- Yellowing of the skin (jaundice) due to the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Itching
- Easy bruising from decreased production of blood clotting factors by the diseased liver.
GLUTAMATE
Glutamate occupies a central place in the amino acid metabolism. It will act as a collector of the amino groups. Free ammonia is a toxic for the brain cells. It will be transported in the bound form to liver where it is finally detoxified forming urea.
the first line ammonia intoxification defense is conversion of glutamate to glutamine. Excess of ammonia deplets glutamate and hence GABA level in the brain. Then Alpha ketoglutarate is used to compensate for glutamate. Decreasing concentration of Alpha ketoglutarate which then depresses TCA and thus deprives brain cells of energy.
Excess Glutamine will exchange with Tryptophan resulting in hyper excitation. The symptoms of ammonia intoxification are all due to energy depletion and a state of hyper excitation.
the first line ammonia intoxification defense is conversion of glutamate to glutamine. Excess of ammonia deplets glutamate and hence GABA level in the brain. Then Alpha ketoglutarate is used to compensate for glutamate. Decreasing concentration of Alpha ketoglutarate which then depresses TCA and thus deprives brain cells of energy.
Excess Glutamine will exchange with Tryptophan resulting in hyper excitation. The symptoms of ammonia intoxification are all due to energy depletion and a state of hyper excitation.