β-Alanine

• CAT Number: R055804
• CAS Number: 107-95-9
• Molecular Formula: C3H7NO2
• Molecular Weight: 89.094
• Purity: ≥95%
• Synonyms: 2-Carboxyethylamine; 3-Aminopropanoic Acid; 3-Aminopropionic Acid; Abufene; NSC 7603; β-Aminopropanoic Acid; β-Aminopropionic Acid; ω-Aminopropionic Acid
• Storage: -20°C
• IUPAC Name: 3-aminopropanoic acid
• InChI: InChI=1S/C3H7NO2/c4-2-1-3(5)6/h1-2,4H2,(H,5,6)
• InChIKey: UCMIRNVEIXFBKS-UHFFFAOYSA-N
• SMILES: C(CN)C(=O)O

β-Alanine (CAS 107-95-9) is a naturally-occurring beta-amino acid. Since neuronal uptake and neuronal receptor sensitivity to beta-alanine have been demonstrated,  it has a role as a neurotransmitter. In addition, it is considered as an inhibitor, an agonist, a human metabolite and a fundamental metabolite. Supplementation with β-alanine has been shown to increase the concentration of carnosine in muscles, decrease fatigue in athletes and increase total muscular work done.However, there is concern about lack of information about safety.

Reference

1.Derave, W. "Wim Derave, Mahir S. Ozdemir, 2 Roger C. Harris, 3 Andries Pottier, Harmen Reyngoudt, 4 Katrien Koppo, John A. Wise, 5 and Eric Achten4." J Appl Physiol 103 (2007): 1736-1743.
2.Hill, C. A., et al. "Influence of β-alanine supplementation on skeletal muscle carnosine concentrations and high intensity cycling capacity." Amino acids 32.2 (2007): 225-233.
3.Quesnele, Jairus J., et al. "The effects of beta-alanine supplementation on performance: a systematic review of the literature." International journal of sport nutrition and exercise metabolism 24.1 (2014): 14-27.
4.Hoffman, Jay R., et al. "β-Alanine supplementation and military performance." Amino acids 47.12 (2015): 2463-2474.
5. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2018 Jun 12;500(4):897-901. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2018.04.183. Epub 2018 Apr 30.The endogenous agonist, β-alanine, activates glycine receptors in rat spinal dorsal neurons.Seino Y(1), Ohashi N(1), Kohno T(2).

β-alanine is a structural analog of glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and is thought to be involved in the modulation of nociceptive information at the spinal cord. However, it is not known whether β-alanine exerts its effect in substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurons of the spinal dorsal horn, where glycine and GABA play an important role in regulating nociceptive transmission from the periphery. Here, we investigated the effects of β-alanine on inhibitory synaptic transmission in adult rat SG neurons using whole-cell patch-clamp. β-alanine dose-dependently induced outward currents in SG neurons. Current-voltage plots revealed a reversal potential at approximately -70 mV, which was close to the equilibrium potential of Cl-. Pharmacological analysis revealed that β-alanine activates glycine receptors, but not GABAA receptors. These results suggest that β-alanine hyperpolarizes the membrane potential of SG neurons by activating Cl- channels through glycine receptors. Our findings raise the possibility that β-alanine may modulate pain sensation through glycine receptors.

 

2. J Neurochem. 2013 Nov;127(4):482-6. doi: 10.1111/jnc.12393. Epub 2013 Aug 27.Vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) transports β-alanine.Juge N(1), Omote H, Moriyama Y.

 

Vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) is expressed in GABAergic and glycinergic neurons, and is responsible for vesicular storage and subsequent exocytosis of these inhibitory amino acids. In this study, we show that VGAT recognizes β-alanine as a substrate. Proteoliposomes containing purified VGAT transport β-alanine using Δψ but not ΔpH as a driving force. The Δψ-driven β-alanine uptake requires Cl(-). VGAT also facilitates Cl(-) uptake in the presence of β-alanine. A previously described VGAT mutant (Glu213Ala) that disrupts GABA and glycine transport similarly abrogates β-alanine uptake. These findings indicated that VGAT transports β-alanine through a mechanism similar to those for GABA and glycine, and functions as a vesicular β-alanine transporter. Vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT) is expressed in GABAergic and glycinergic neurons, and is responsible for vesicular storage and subsequent exocytosis of these inhibitory amino acids. In the present study, we showed that proteoliposomes containing purified VGAT transport β-alanine using Δψ as a driving force. VGAT also facilitates Cl(-) uptake. Our findings indicated that VGAT functions as a vesicular β-alanine transporter.