Study summary · research use only
Acetyl-L-carnitine as a precursor of acetylcholine
Plain-language summary
Paraphrased from the published abstract below — not a verdict on whether anything works.
This in vitro study using rat brain synaptosomal membrane preparations examined synthesis of acetylcholine from acetyl-L-carnitine. The authors demonstrated synthesis of [3H]acetylcholine from [3H]acetyl-L-carnitine by coupling the enzymes choline acetyltransferase and carnitine acetyltransferase, and produced both [3H]- and [14C]-labeled acetylcholine when [3H]acetyl-L-carnitine and D-[U-14C]glucose were incubated with the synaptosomal preparations. Transfer of the acetyl group from acetyl-L-carnitine to acetylcholine depended on acetyl-L-carnitine concentration and required coenzyme A, normally produced as an inhibitory product of choline acetyltransferase. The authors state these results support a role for mitochondrial carnitine acetyltransferase in transferring acetyl groups across mitochondrial membranes, and note consistency with possible utility of acetyl-L-carnitine for age-related cholinergic deficits.
Abstract
Synthesis of [3H]acetylcholine from [3H]acetyl-L-carnitine was demonstrated in vitro by coupling the enzyme systems choline acetyltransferase and carnitine acetyltransferase. Likewise, both [3H] and [14C] labeled acetylcholine were produced when [3H]acetyl-L-carnitine and D-[U-14C] glucose were incubated with synaptosomal membrane preparations from rat brain. Transfer of the acetyl moiety from acetyl-L-carnitine to acetylcholine was dependent on concentration of acetyl-L-carnitine and required the presence of coenzyme A, which is normally produced as an inhibitory product of choline acetyltransferase. These results provide further evidence for a role of mitochondrial carnitine acetyltransferase in facilitating transfer of acetyl groups across mitochondrial membranes, thus regulating the availability in the cytoplasm of acetyl-CoA, a substrate of choline acetyltransferase. They are also consistent with a possible utility of acetyl-L-carnitine in the treatment of age-related cholinergic deficits.
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