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N-Acetylaspartate



N-Acetylaspartate
IUPAC name (2S)-2-Acetamidobutanedioic acid
Other names Acetylaspartic acid
N-Acetylaspartic acid
N-Acetyl-L-aspartate
Acetyl-L-aspartic acid
N-Acetyl-L-aspartic acid
Identifiers
Abbreviations NAA
CAS number 997-55-7
PubChem 65065
EINECS number 213-643-9
MeSH N-acetylaspartate
RTECS number CI9098600
SMILES CC(=O)N[C@@H](CC(=O)O)C(=O)O
InChI InChI=1/C6H9NO5/c1-3(8)7-4(6(11)12)2-5(9)10/h4H,2H2,1H3,(H,7,8)(H,9,10)(H,11,12)/t4-/m0/s1/f/h7,9,11H
Properties
Molecular formula C6H9NO5
Molar mass 175.139 g/mol
Melting point

137-140 °C

Hazards
S-phrases S22 S24/25
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for
materials in their standard state
(at 25 °C, 100 kPa)
Infobox disclaimer and references

N-Acetylaspartate (NAA), or N-acetylaspartic acid, is a derivative of aspartic acid with a formula of C6H9NO5 and a molecular weight of 175.139.

NAA is the most concentrated molecule in the brain after the amino acid glutamate. NAA is synthesized in neurons from the amino acid aspartate and acetyl-coenzyme A. The various functions served by NAA are still under investigation, but the primary proposed functions include its being:

  1. A neuronal osmolyte that is involved in fluid balance in the brain
  2. A source of acetate for lipid and myelin synthesis in oligodendrocytes, the glial cells that myelinate neuronal axons
  3. A precursor for the synthesis of the important neuronal dipeptide N-Acetylaspartylglutamate
  4. A contributor to energy production from the amino acid glutamate in neuronal mitochondria.

NAA gives off the largest signal in magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the human brain, and the levels measured there are decreased in numerous neuropathological conditions ranging from brain injury to stroke to Alzheimer's disease. This fact makes NAA a reliable diagnostic molecule for doctors treating patients with brain damage or disease.

See also
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "N-Acetylaspartate". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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