Detection of the in vivo conversion of 2-pyrrolidinone to γ-aminobutyric acid in mouse brain

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/bms.1200060106

Labeled γ-aminobutyric acid was detected in mouse brain following intravenous injections of deuterium labeled 2-pyrrolidinone. [²H₆]Pyrrolidinone was prepared by the reduction of [²H₄]succinimide with lithium aluminum deuteride. Quantification was accomplished by a gas chromatography mass spectrometry assay method. γ-Aminobutyric acid and internal standard, 5-aminovaleric acid, were converted to volatile derivatives by treatment with N,N-dimethylformamide dimethyl acetal. Quantitative estimates were derived from peak area measurements obtained from monitoring the parent ions of the γ-aminobutyric acid and internal standard derivatives by repetitive scanning during the GC run. The conversion of pyrrolidinone to γ-aminobutyric acid may provide a method for labelling central γ-aminobutyric acid pools.