Metabolically derived aspartate--elevated extracellular levels in vivo in lodoacetate poisoning.

Glycolysis was blocked in the hippocampus of the otherwise unaffected rabbit by perfusion of a previously implanted thin dialysis tube with a medium containing 0.1 mM iodoacetate. The perfusate from the dialysis tube was analyzed for free amino acids with liquid chromatographic separation of ortophthaldialdehyde derivatives. The data were used to calculate approximate levels of extracellular amino acids. Within 15 min after the beginning of iodoacetate perfusion, extracellular aspartate increased measurably, and the increase was tenfold within less than 2 hr. Although most other amino acids were unaffected, an elevation of taurine, phosphoethanolamine, and ethanolamine was observed with a delay of 30-40 min after the effect on aspartate.