Possible Interaction: Ammonia and Glycine

“Modulating the levels of glutamine and glycine has shown to reduce ammonia concentration in hyperammonemia.”

“In addition to changes in astrocyte morphology, increased brain ammonia concentrations result in alterations in expression of key astrocyte proteins including glial fibrillary acidic protein, glutamate and glycine transporters and "peripheral-type" (mitochondrial) benzodiazepine receptors.”

“OBJECTIVE Absorption of glycine 1.5% during transurethral resection of the prostate may increase blood ammonia levels, but hyperammonaemia has not been described when the fluid also contained ethanol 1%.”

“RESULTS The gl cine in fusions increased blo od ammonia le vels from 37 micromol/l (median, 10th and 90th percentile limits 34-53) to 57 micromol/l (27-110; p < 0.001).”

“Unexpectedly, oral glycine increased ammonia in addition to lowering G3P and increasing citrulline.”

“At 2-10 mM, glycine also caused an accumulation of ammonia , a well-established activator of glutaminase (E.C. 3.5.1.2) and, at concentrations found in the presence of glutamine plus glycine, ammonia stimulated glutamine removal.”

“The metabolism of glycine as sole substrate led to a small increase in the accumulation of ammonia.”

“The administration of 14C labeled alanine, glutamine and glycine (plus carrier) increased both the ammonia and bicarbonate moieties of urinary NH4HCO3.”

“ Glycine evidently had a sparing effect on formation of ammonia from other sources, but this effect was limited.”

“The degree of inhibition in some cases was dependent on the substrate concentrations: the sensitivity towards glycine , alanine and serine decreased with a decreasing ammonia level, while the sensitivity towards ADP or AMP increased with a decreasing ATP concentration.”

“The addition of amino-acids such as glycine or glutamic acid to batches of soil resulted in a rapid increase in ammonia , usually within two to four days, after which the ammonia values fell as nitrification proceeded.”