Leucine

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Leucine
L-Leucine.svg
Skeletal formula of L-leucine
Leucine-from-xtal-3D-bs-17.png
Leucine-from-xtal-3D-sf.png
Names
IUPAC name
Leucine
Other names
2-Amino-4-methylpentanoic acid
Identifiers
3D model (JSmol)
ChEBI
ChEMBL
ChemSpider
DrugBank
ECHA InfoCard 100.000.475 OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
KEGG
PubChem CID
UNII
  • InChI=1S/C6H13NO2/c1-4(2)3-5(7)6(8)9/h4-5H,3,7H2,1-2H3,(H,8,9)/t5-/m0/s1 Yes check.svgY
    Key: ROHFNLRQFUQHCH-YFKPBYRVSA-N Yes check.svgY
  • InChI=1/C6H13NO2/c1-4(2)3-5(7)6(8)9/h4-5H,3,7H2,1-2H3,(H,8,9)/t5-/m0/s1
    Key: ROHFNLRQFUQHCH-YFKPBYRVBU
  • CC(C)C[C@@H](C(=O)O)N
  • Zwitterion:CC(C)C[C@@H](C(=O)[O-])[NH3+]
Properties
C6H13NO2
Molar mass 131.175 g·mol−1
Acidity (pKa)2.36 (carboxyl), 9.60 (amino) [2]
-84.9·10−6 cm3/mol
Supplementary data page
Leucine (data page)
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa).

Leucine (symbol Leu or L) [3] is an essential amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. Leucine is an α-amino acid, meaning it contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH3+ form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −COO form under biological conditions), and a side chain isobutyl group, making it a non-polar aliphatic amino acid. It is essential in humans, meaning the body cannot synthesize it: it must be obtained from the diet. Human dietary sources are foods that contain protein, such as meats, dairy products, soy products, and beans and other legumes. It is encoded by the codons UUA, UUG, CUU, CUC, CUA, and CUG. Leucine is named after the Greek word for "white": λευκός (leukós, "white"), after its common appearance as a white powder, a property it shares with many other amino acids. [4]

Like valine and isoleucine, leucine is a branched-chain amino acid. The primary metabolic end products of leucine metabolism are acetyl-CoA and acetoacetate; consequently, it is one of the two exclusively ketogenic amino acids, with lysine being the other. [5] It is the most important ketogenic amino acid in humans. [6]

Leucine and β-hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid, a minor leucine metabolite, exhibit pharmacological activity in humans and have been demonstrated to promote protein biosynthesis via the phosphorylation of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR). [7] [8]

Dietary leucine

As a food additive, L-leucine has E number E641 and is classified as a flavor enhancer. [9]

Requirements

The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the U.S. Institute of Medicine set Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for essential amino acids in 2002. For leucine, for adults 19 years and older, 42 mg/kg body weight/day. [10]

Sources

Food sources of leucine [11]
Foodg/100g
Whey protein concentrate, dry powder10.0–12.0
Soy protein concentrate, dry powder7.5–8.5
Pea protein concentrate, dry powder6.6
Soybeans, mature seeds, roasted, salted2.87
Hemp seed, hulled2.16
Beef, round, top round, raw1.76
Peanuts 1.67
Fish, salmon, pink, raw1.62
Wheat germ 1.57
Almonds 1.49
Chicken, broilers or fryers, thigh, raw1.48
Chicken egg, yolk, raw1.40
Oats 1.28
Edamame (soybeans, green, raw)0.93
Beans, pinto, cooked0.78
Lentils, cooked0.65
Chickpea, cooked0.63
Corn, yellow0.35
Cow milk, whole, 3.25% milk fat0.27
Rice, brown, medium-grain, cooked0.19
Milk, human, mature, fluid0.10

Health effects

As a dietary supplement, leucine has been found to slow the degradation of muscle tissue by increasing the synthesis of muscle proteins in aged rats. [12] However, results of comparative studies are conflicted. Long-term leucine supplementation does not increase muscle mass or strength in healthy elderly men. [13] More studies are needed, preferably ones based on an objective, random sample of society. Factors such as lifestyle choices, age, gender, diet, exercise, etc. must be factored into the analyses to isolate the effects of supplemental leucine as a stand-alone, or if taken with other branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Until then, dietary supplemental leucine cannot be associated as the prime reason for muscular growth or optimal maintenance for the entire population.

Both L-leucine and D-leucine protect mice against epileptic seizures. [14] D-leucine also terminates seizures in mice after the onset of seizure activity, at least as effectively as diazepam and without sedative effects. [14] Decreased dietary intake of L-leucine lessens adiposity in mice. [15] High blood levels of leucine are associated with insulin resistance in humans, mice, and rodents. [16] This might be due to the effect of leucine to stimulate mTOR signaling. [17] Dietary restriction of leucine and the other BCAAs can reverse diet-induced obesity in wild-type mice by increasing energy expenditure, and can restrict fat mass gain of hyperphagic rats. [18] [19]

Safety

Leucine toxicity, as seen in decompensated maple syrup urine disease, causes delirium and neurologic compromise, and can be life-threatening. [20]

A high intake of leucine may cause or exacerbate symptoms of pellagra in people with low niacin status because it interferes with the conversion of L-tryptophan to niacin. [21]

Leucine at a dose exceeding 500 mg/kg/d was observed with hyperammonemia. [22] As such, unofficially, a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for leucine in healthy adult men can be suggested at 500 mg/kg/d or 35 g/d under acute dietary conditions. [22] [23]

Pharmacology

Pharmacodynamics

Leucine is a dietary amino acid with the capacity to directly stimulate myofibrillar muscle protein synthesis. [24] This effect of leucine results from its role as an activator of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR), [8] a serine-threonine protein kinase that regulates protein biosynthesis and cell growth. The activation of mTOR by leucine is mediated through Rag GTPases, [25] [26] [27] leucine binding to leucyl-tRNA synthetase, [25] [26] leucine binding to sestrin 2, [28] [29] [30] and possibly other mechanisms.

Metabolism in humans

Leucine metabolism occurs in many tissues in the human body; however, most dietary leucine is metabolized within the liver, adipose tissue, and muscle tissue. [36] Adipose and muscle tissue use leucine in the formation of sterols and other compounds. [36] Combined leucine use in these two tissues is seven times greater than in the liver. [36]

In healthy individuals, approximately 60% of dietary L-leucine is metabolized after several hours, with roughly 5% (2–10% range) of dietary L-leucine being converted to β-hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid (HMB). [37] [38] [35] Around 40% of dietary L-leucine is converted to acetyl-CoA, which is subsequently used in the synthesis of other compounds. [35]

The vast majority of L-leucine metabolism is initially catalyzed by the branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase enzyme, producing α-ketoisocaproate (α-KIC). [37] [35] α-KIC is mostly metabolized by the mitochondrial enzyme branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase, which converts it to isovaleryl-CoA. [37] [35] Isovaleryl-CoA is subsequently metabolized by isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase and converted to MC-CoA, which is used in the synthesis of acetyl-CoA and other compounds. [35] During biotin deficiency, HMB can be synthesized from MC-CoA via enoyl-CoA hydratase and an unknown thioesterase enzyme, [31] [32] [39] which convert MC-CoA into HMB-CoA and HMB-CoA into HMB respectively. [32] A relatively small amount of α-KIC is metabolized in the liver by the cytosolic enzyme 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (KIC dioxygenase), which converts α-KIC to HMB. [37] [35] [40] In healthy individuals, this minor pathway – which involves the conversion of L-leucine to α-KIC and then HMB – is the predominant route of HMB synthesis. [37] [35]

A small fraction of L-leucine metabolism – less than 5% in all tissues except the testes, where it accounts for about 33% – is initially catalyzed by leucine aminomutase, producing β-leucine, which is subsequently metabolized into β-ketoisocaproate (β-KIC), β-ketoisocaproyl-CoA, and then acetyl-CoA by a series of uncharacterized enzymes. [35] [41]

The metabolism of HMB is catalyzed by an uncharacterized enzyme which converts it to β-hydroxyβ-methylbutyryl-CoA (HMB-CoA). [31] [35] HMB-CoA is metabolized by either enoyl-CoA hydratase or another uncharacterized enzyme, producing β-methylcrotonyl-CoA (MC-CoA) or hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA) respectively. [37] [35] MC-CoA is then converted by the enzyme methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase to methylglutaconyl-CoA (MG-CoA), which is subsequently converted to HMG-CoA by methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase . [37] [35] [41] HMG-CoA is then cleaved into acetyl-CoA and acetoacetate by HMG-CoA lyase or used in the production of cholesterol via the mevalonate pathway . [37] [35]

Synthesis in nonhuman organisms

Leucine is an essential amino acid in the diet of animals because they lack the complete enzyme pathway to synthesize it de novo from potential precursor compounds. Consequently, they must ingest it, usually as a component of proteins. Plants and microorganisms synthesize leucine from pyruvic acid with a series of enzymes: [42]

Synthesis of the small, hydrophobic amino acid valine also includes the initial part of this pathway.

Chemistry

(S)-Leucine (or L-leucine), left; (R)-leucine (or D-leucine), right, in zwitterionic form at neutral pH Betain-Leucin.png
(S)-Leucine (or L-leucine), left; (R)-leucine (or D-leucine), right, in zwitterionic form at neutral pH

Leucine is a branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) since it possesses an aliphatic side chain that is not linear.

Racemic leucine had been[ when? ] subjected to circularly polarized synchrotron radiation to better understand the origin of biomolecular asymmetry. An enantiomeric enhancement of 2.6% had been induced, indicating a possible photochemical origin of biomolecules' homochirality. [43]

See also

Notes

  1. This reaction is catalyzed by an unknown thioesterase enzyme. [31] [32]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isoleucine</span> Chemical compound

Isoleucine (symbol Ile or I) is an α-amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group (which is in the protonated −NH+3 form under biological conditions), an α-carboxylic acid group (which is in the deprotonated −COO form under biological conditions), and a hydrocarbon side chain with a branch (a central carbon atom bound to three other carbon atoms). It is classified as a non-polar, uncharged (at physiological pH), branched-chain, aliphatic amino acid. It is essential in humans, meaning the body cannot synthesize it. Essential amino acids are necessary in the human diet. In plants isoleucine can be synthesized from threonine and methionine. In plants and bacteria, isoleucine is synthesized from pyruvate employing leucine biosynthesis enzymes. It is encoded by the codons AUU, AUC, and AUA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lysine</span> Amino acid

Lysine is an α-amino acid that is a precursor to many proteins. It contains an α-amino group, an α-carboxylic acid group, and a side chain lysyl, classifying it as a basic, charged, aliphatic amino acid. It is encoded by the codons AAA and AAG. Like almost all other amino acids, the α-carbon is chiral and lysine may refer to either enantiomer or a racemic mixture of both. For the purpose of this article, lysine will refer to the biologically active enantiomer L-lysine, where the α-carbon is in the S configuration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Threonine</span> Amino acid

Threonine is an amino acid that is used in the biosynthesis of proteins. It contains an α-amino group, a carboxyl group, and a side chain containing a hydroxyl group, making it a polar, uncharged amino acid. It is essential in humans, meaning the body cannot synthesize it: it must be obtained from the diet. Threonine is synthesized from aspartate in bacteria such as E. coli. It is encoded by all the codons starting AC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acetyl-CoA</span> Chemical compound

Acetyl-CoA is a molecule that participates in many biochemical reactions in protein, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Its main function is to deliver the acetyl group to the citric acid cycle to be oxidized for energy production.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnitine</span> Amino acid active in mitochondria

Carnitine is a quaternary ammonium compound involved in metabolism in most mammals, plants, and some bacteria. In support of energy metabolism, carnitine transports long-chain fatty acids from the cytosol into mitochondria to be oxidized for free energy production, and also participates in removing products of metabolism from cells. Given its key metabolic roles, carnitine is concentrated in tissues like skeletal and cardiac muscle that metabolize fatty acids as an energy source. Generally individuals, including strict vegetarians, synthesize enough L-carnitine in vivo.

Bodybuilding supplements are dietary supplements commonly used by those involved in bodybuilding, weightlifting, mixed martial arts, and athletics for the purpose of facilitating an increase in lean body mass. Bodybuilding supplements may contain ingredients that are advertised to increase a person's muscle, body weight, athletic performance, and decrease a person's percent body fat for desired muscle definition. Among the most widely used are high protein drinks, pre-workout blends, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), glutamine, arginine, essential fatty acids, creatine, HMB, whey protein, ZMA, and weight loss products. Supplements are sold either as single ingredient preparations or in the form of "stacks" – proprietary blends of various supplements marketed as offering synergistic advantages.

β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid Chemical compound

β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid (HMB), otherwise known as its conjugate base, β-hydroxyβ-methylbutyrate, is a naturally produced substance in humans that is used as a dietary supplement and as an ingredient in certain medical foods that are intended to promote wound healing and provide nutritional support for people with muscle wasting due to cancer or HIV/AIDS. In healthy adults, supplementation with HMB has been shown to increase exercise-induced gains in muscle size, muscle strength, and lean body mass, reduce skeletal muscle damage from exercise, improve aerobic exercise performance, and expedite recovery from exercise. Medical reviews and meta-analyses indicate that HMB supplementation also helps to preserve or increase lean body mass and muscle strength in individuals experiencing age-related muscle loss. HMB produces these effects in part by stimulating the production of proteins and inhibiting the breakdown of proteins in muscle tissue. No adverse effects from long-term use as a dietary supplement in adults have been found.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Branched-chain amino acid</span> Amino acid with a branched carbon chain

A branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) is an amino acid having an aliphatic side-chain with a branch. Among the proteinogenic amino acids, there are three BCAAs: leucine, isoleucine, and valine. Non-proteinogenic BCAAs include 2-aminoisobutyric acid and alloisoleucine.

β-Hydroxybutyric acid Chemical compound

β-Hydroxybutyric acid, also known as 3-hydroxybutyric acid or BHB, is an organic compound and a beta hydroxy acid with the chemical formula CH3CH(OH)CH2CO2H; its conjugate base is β-hydroxybutyrate, also known as 3-hydroxybutyrate. β-Hydroxybutyric acid is a chiral compound with two enantiomers: D-β-hydroxybutyric acid and L-β-hydroxybutyric acid. Its oxidized and polymeric derivatives occur widely in nature. In humans, D-β-hydroxybutyric acid is one of two primary endogenous agonists of hydroxycarboxylic acid receptor 2 (HCA2), a Gi/o-coupled G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HMG-CoA</span> Chemical compound

β-Hydroxy β-methylglutaryl-CoA (HMG-CoA), also known as 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A, is an intermediate in the mevalonate and ketogenesis pathways. It is formed from acetyl CoA and acetoacetyl CoA by HMG-CoA synthase. The research of Minor J. Coon and Bimal Kumar Bachhawat in the 1950s at University of Illinois led to its discovery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enoyl-CoA hydratase</span> Class of enzymes

Enoyl-CoA hydratase (ECH) or crotonase is an enzyme EC 4.2.1.17 that hydrates the double bond between the second and third carbons on 2-trans/cis-enoyl-CoA:

Methylcrotonyl CoA carboxylase is a biotin-requiring enzyme located in the mitochondria. MCC uses bicarbonate as a carboxyl group source to catalyze the carboxylation of a carbon adjacent to a carbonyl group performing the fourth step in processing leucine, an essential amino acid.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase</span> Aminotransferase enzyme

Branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase (BCAT), also known as branched-chain amino acid transaminase, is an aminotransferase enzyme (EC 2.6.1.42) which acts upon branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). It is encoded by the BCAT2 gene in humans. The BCAT enzyme catalyzes the conversion of BCAAs and α-ketoglutarate into branched chain α-keto acids and glutamate.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isovaleryl-CoA</span> Chemical compound

Isovaleryl-coenzyme A, also known as isovaleryl-CoA, is an intermediate in the metabolism of branched-chain amino acids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methylcrotonyl-CoA</span> Chemical compound

3-Methylcrotonyl-CoA is an intermediate in the metabolism of leucine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3-Methylglutaconyl-CoA</span> Chemical compound

3-Methylglutaconyl-CoA (MG-CoA), also known as β-methylglutaconyl-CoA, is an intermediate in the metabolism of leucine. It is metabolized into HMG-CoA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase</span> Protein-coding gene in the species Homo sapiens

3-Methylglutaconyl-CoA hydratase, also known as MG-CoA hydratase and AUH, is an enzyme encoded by the AUH gene on chromosome 19. It is a member of the enoyl-CoA hydratase/isomerase superfamily, but it is the only member of that family that is able to bind to RNA. Not only does it bind to RNA, AUH has also been observed to be involved in the metabolic enzymatic activity, making it a dual-role protein. Mutations of this gene have been found to cause a disease called 3-Methylglutaconic Acuduria Type 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase</span>

In enzymology, an isovaleryl-CoA dehydrogenase is an enzyme that catalyzes the chemical reaction

α-Ketoisocaproic acid Chemical compound

α-Ketoisocaproic acid (α-KIC), also known as 4-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, and its conjugate base and carboxylate, α-ketoisocaproate, are metabolic intermediates in the metabolic pathway for L-leucine. Leucine is an essential amino acid, and its degradation is critical for many biological duties. α-KIC is produced in one of the first steps of the pathway by branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase by transferring the amine on L-leucine onto alpha ketoglutarate, and replacing that amine with a ketone. The degradation of L-leucine in the muscle to this compound allows for the production of the amino acids alanine and glutamate as well. In the liver, α-KIC can be converted to a vast number of compounds depending on the enzymes and cofactors present, including cholesterol, acetyl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, and other biological molecules. Isovaleryl-CoA is the main compound synthesized from ɑ-KIC. α-KIC is a key metabolite present in the urine of people with Maple syrup urine disease, along with other branched-chain amino acids. Derivatives of α-KIC have been studied in humans for their ability to improve physical performance during anaerobic exercise as a supplemental bridge between short-term and long-term exercise supplements. These studies show that α-KIC does not achieve this goal without other ergogenicsupplements present as well. α-KIC has also been observed to reduce skeletal muscle damage after eccentrically biased resistance exercises in people who do not usually perform those exercises.

<i>beta</i>-Hydroxy <i>beta</i>-methylbutyryl-CoA Chemical compound

β-Hydroxy β-methylbutyryl-coenzyme A (HMB-CoA), also known as 3-hydroxyisovaleryl-CoA, is a metabolite of L-leucine that is produced in the human body. Its immediate precursors are β-hydroxy β-methylbutyric acid (HMB) and β-methylcrotonoyl-CoA (MC-CoA). It can be metabolized into HMB, MC-CoA, and HMG-CoA in humans.

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