The endogenous methylated derivative of ʟ-arginine, Nω,Nω′-dimethyl-ʟ-arginine (asymmetric dimethylarginine, ADMA), an independent risk factor in many diseases, inhibits the activity of nitric oxide synthases and, consequently, modulates the availability of nitric oxide. While most studies on the biological role of ADMA have focused on endothelial and inducible nitric oxide synthases modulation and its contribution to cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases, a role in regulating neuronal nitric oxide synthases and pathologies of the central nervous system is less understood. The two isoforms of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase (DDAH), DDAH1 and DDAH2, are thought to be the main enzymes responsible for ADMA catabolism. A current impediment is limited knowledge on specific tissue and cellular distribution of DDAH enzymes within the brain. In this study, we provide a detailed characterization of the regional and cellular distribution of DDAH1 and DDAH2 proteins in the adult murine and human brain. Immunohistochemical analysis showed a wide distribution of DDAH1, mapping to multiple cell types, while DDAH2 was detected in a limited number of brain regions and exclusively in neurons. Our results provide key information for the investigation of the pathophysiological roles of the ADMA/DDAH system in neuropsychiatric diseases and pave the way for the development of novel selective therapeutic approaches.

Original languageEnglish
Number of pages16
JournalCellular and Molecular Neurobiology
Early online dateMay 2021
DOIs
StateE-pub ahead of print - May 2021

    Scopus subject areas

  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience
  • Cell Biology

    Research areas

  • Brain, DDAH1, DDAH2, Human, Mouse, NITRIC-OXIDE SYNTHASE, ASYMMETRIC DIMETHYLARGININE, N-G, IDENTIFICATION, PLASMA, ENDOTHELIAL-CELL HETEROGENEITY, LONG-TERM POTENTIATION, INHIBITOR, METHYLARGININE, CEREBRAL-ISCHEMIA

ID: 86120840