Cerebrospinal fluid and serum d-serine concentrations are unaltered across the whole clinical spectrum of Alzheimer's disease.

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) relies on the presence of amyloidosis and tauopathy, as reflected in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), independently from the clinical stage. Recently, CSF d-serine has been proposed as a possible new AD biomarker, reflecting dysfunctional activation of neuronal glutamatergic N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). In this study, we measured blood serum and CSF concentration of two NMDAR modulators, such as d-serine and d-aspartate, in a cohort of drug-free subjects encompassing the whole AD clinical spectrum. In addition, we also analyzed d-serine levels in a cohort of post-mortem AD and control cortex samples. We reported unaltered serum and CSF concentrations of d-serine and d-aspartate in AD patients both during the AD progression and compared to non-demented controls. Accordingly, no correlation was detected between serum or CSF d-serine content and mini-mental state examination or Clinical Dementia Rating. Similarly, cortical d-serine levels were also unaltered in post-mortem samples of AD patients. Overall, our results failed to confirm previous findings indicating the CSF d-serine as a novel biomarker for AD.

Cerebrospinal fluid D-serine concentrations in major depressive disorder negatively correlate with depression severity.

BACKGROUND: D-serine is an endogenous co-agonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and plays an important role in glutamate neurotransmission. Several studies suggested the possible involvement of D-serine related in the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders including major depression disorders (MDD). We tried to examine whether cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or plasma D-serine concentrations are altered in MDD and whether D-serine concentrations correlated with disease severity. METHODS: 26 MDD patients and 27 healthy controls matched for age, sex and ethnicity were enrolled. We measured amino acids in these samples using by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorometric detection. RESULTS: D-serine and L-serine, precursor of D-serine, levels in CSF or plasma were not significantly different in patients of MDD compared to controls. Furthermore, a significant correlation between D-serine levels in CSF and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD)-17 score was observed (r = -0.65, p = 0.006). Furthermore, we found a positive correlation between CSF D-serine and HVA concentrations in MDD patients (r = 0.54, p = 0.007). CSF D-serine concentrations were correlated with those of plasma in MDD (r = 0.61, p = 0.01) but not in controls. In CSF, we also confirmed a significant correlation between D-serine and L-serine levels in MDD (r = 0.72, p < 0.0001) and controls (r = 0.70, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: The study has some limitations; sample size was relatively small and most patients were medicated. We revealed that CSF D-serine concentrations were correlated with depression severity and HVA concentrations and further investigation were required to reveal the effect of medication and disease heterogeneity.

CSF d-serine concentrations are similar in Alzheimer's disease, other dementias, and elderly controls.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of d-serine were recently reported as a potential new biomarker for Alzheimer's disease (AD), showing a perfect distinction between AD patients and healthy controls. In this study, we aimed to confirm these results and extend these previous findings to dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia. d-Serine levels in CSF of 29 AD patients, 8 dementia with Lewy bodies patients, 14 frontotemporal dementia patients, and 28 nondemented controls were measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In contrast to previous findings, in our study CSF d-serine levels were only slightly increased in AD patients compared with controls. CSF d-serine in AD did not differ from other dementias and was also not correlated to mini-mental state examination-scores. Owing to the large overlap of d-serine levels, we conclude that CSF d-serine is neither a suitable biomarker for AD nor for cognitive decline.

Genome-wide association study of NMDA receptor coagonists in human cerebrospinal fluid and plasma.

The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) coagonists glycine, D-serine and L-proline play crucial roles in NMDAR-dependent neurotransmission and are associated with a range of neuropsychiatric disorders. We conducted the first genome-wide association study of concentrations of these coagonists and their enantiomers in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of human subjects from the general population (N=414). Genetic variants at chromosome 22q11.2, located in and near PRODH (proline dehydrogenase), were associated with L-proline in plasma (ß=0.29; P=6.38 × 10(-10)). The missense variant rs17279437 in the proline transporter SLC6A20 was associated with L-proline in CSF (ß=0.28; P=9.68 × 10(-9)). Suggestive evidence of association was found for the D-serine plasma-CSF ratio at the D-amino-acid oxidase (DAO) gene (ß=-0.28; P=9.08 × 10(-8)), whereas a variant in SRR (that encodes serine racemase and is associated with schizophrenia) constituted the most strongly associated locus for the L-serine to D-serine ratio in CSF. All these genes are highly expressed in rodent meninges and choroid plexus, anatomical regions relevant to CSF physiology. The enzymes and transporters they encode may be targeted to further construe the nature of NMDAR coagonist involvement in NMDAR gating. Furthermore, the highlighted genetic variants may be followed up in clinical populations, for example, schizophrenia and 22q11 deletion syndrome. Overall, this targeted metabolomics approach furthers the understanding of NMDAR coagonist concentration variability and sets the stage for non-targeted CSF metabolomics projects.

Markers of glutamate signaling in cerebrospinal fluid and serum from patients with bipolar disorder and healthy controls.

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Aberrations in glutamate signaling have been linked to the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Increased plasma levels of glutamate as well as higher glutamine+glutamate levels in the brain have been demonstrated in patients with bipolar disorder as compared to healthy controls. In this study, we explored the glutamate hypothesis of bipolar disorder by examining peripheral and central levels of amino acids related to glutamate signaling. A total of 215 patients with bipolar disorder and 112 healthy controls from the Swedish St. Göran bipolar project were included in this study. Glutamate, glutamine, glycine, L-serine and D-serine levels were determined in serum and in cerebrospinal fluid using high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection. Serum levels of glutamine, glycine and D-serine were significantly higher whereas L-serine levels were lower in patients with bipolar disorder as compared to controls. No differences between the patient and control group in amino acid levels were observed in cerebrospinal fluid. The observed differences in serum amino acid levels may be interpreted as a systemic aberration in amino acid metabolism that affects several amino acids related to glutamate signaling.

D-amino acid aberrations in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of smokers.

The glutamatergic neurotransmission system and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) have been implicated in smoking and alcohol consumption behavior. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that nicotine and ethanol influence NMDAR functionality, which may have a role in tendencies to consume these substances. Nonetheless, little is known about concentrations of NMDAR coagonists in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma of individuals who smoke or consume alcohol. Glycine and L- and D-stereoisomers of alanine, serine, and proline were therefore measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 403 healthy subjects. Nicotine and alcohol consumption were quantified using questionnaires. Possible differences in NMDAR coagonist concentrations in plasma and CSF were investigated using ANCOVA with age, body mass index, and storage duration as covariates. The significance threshold was Bonferroni corrected (α=0.00625). Compared with non-smokers, smokers displayed lower levels of D-proline in plasma (p=0.0027, Cohen's d=-0.41) and D-proline in CSF (p=0.0026, Cohen's d=-0.43). D-Serine in CSF was higher in smokers than in non-smokers (p=0.0052, Cohen's d=0.41). After subdividing participants based on smoking quantity, dose-dependent decreases were demonstrated in smokers for D-proline in plasma (F=5.65, p=0.0039) and D-proline in CSF (F=5.20, p=0.0060). No differences in NMDAR coagonist levels between alcohol consumption groups were detected. To our knowledge, this is the first report to implicate D-amino acids in smoking behavior of humans. Whether such concentration differences lie at the root of or result from smoking habits may be addressed in prospective studies.

An update on serine deficiency disorders.

Serine deficiency disorders are caused by a defect in one of the three synthesising enzymes of the L-serine biosynthesis pathway. Serine deficiency disorders give rise to a neurological phenotype with psychomotor retardation, microcephaly and seizures in newborns and children or progressive polyneuropathy in adult patients. There are three defects that cause serine deficiency of which 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (3-PGDH) deficiency, the defect affecting the first step in the pathway, has been reported most frequently. The other two disorders in L-serine biosynthesis phosphoserine aminotransferase (PSAT) deficiency and phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP) deficiency have been reported only in a limited number of patients. The biochemical hallmarks of all three disorders are low concentrations of serine in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma. Prompt recognition of affected patients is important, since serine deficiency disorders are treatable causes of neurometabolic disorders. The use of age-related reference values for serine in CSF and plasma can be of great help in establishing a correct diagnosis of serine deficiency, in particular in newborns and young children.

A serine synthesis defect presenting with a Charcot-Marie-Tooth-like polyneuropathy.

BACKGROUND: Serine synthesis defects, characterized by developmental delay and seizures, have been described in children. OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of serine synthesis defect due to 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency in an adult with prominent chronic polyneuropathy. DESIGN: Case report. SETTING: Neurologic referral center. PATIENT: A 31-year-old man with congenital cataracts, mild psychomotor retardation, slight cerebellar ataxia, and chronic axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy. INTERVENTIONS: Electrophysiologic, metabolic, and genetic testing and treatment with oral L-serine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Serine values in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid and clinical examination. RESULTS: Amino acid analysis showed low serine levels in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid, and genetic analysis revealed 2 heterozygous mutations in the PGDH gene. Treatment with high-dose serine resulted in normalization of plasma serine values and subjective functional improvement. CONCLUSIONS: This case expands the phenotypic spectrum of 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency. Plasma amino acid chromatography should be added to the list of investigations performed in patients with Charcot-Marie-Tooth­like polyneuropathy, especially if it is associated with psychomotor delay and congenital cataracts.

Pharmacokinetics and cerebral distribution of glycine administered to rats.

High doses of glycine have been reported to improve negative schizophrenic symptoms, suggesting that ingested glycine activates glutamatergic transmission via N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. However, the pharmacokinetics of administered glycine in the brain has not been evaluated. In the present study, the time- and dose-dependent distributions of administered glycine were investigated from a pharmacokinetic viewpoint. Whole-body autoradiography of radiolabeled glycine was performed, and time-concentration curves for glycine and serine in plasma, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and brain tissues were obtained. Furthermore, pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated. For a more detailed analysis, the amount of glycine uptake in the brain was evaluated using the brain uptake index method. Radiolabeled glycine was distributed among periventricular organs in the brain. Oral administration of 2 g/kg of glycine significantly elevated the CSF glycine concentration above the ED50 value for NMDA receptors. The glycine levels in CSF were 100 times lower than those in plasma. Glycine levels were elevated in brain tissue, but with a slower time-course than in CSF. Serine, a major metabolite of glycine, was elevated in plasma, CSF, and brain tissue. Glycine uptake in brain tissue increased in a dose-dependent manner. Time-concentration curves revealed that glycine was most likely transported via the blood-CSF barrier and activated NMDA receptors adjacent to the ventricles. The pharmacokinetic analysis and the brain uptake index for glycine suggested that glycine was transported into brain tissue by passive diffusion. These results provide further insight into the potential therapeutic applications of glycine.

Transport systems of serine at the brain barriers and in brain parenchymal cells.

D-Serine is a co-agonist for NMDA-type glutamate receptors. Although D-serine levels in CSF and interstitial fluid (ISF) affect CNS function, the regulatory system remains to be fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate d-serine transport across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-CSF barrier (BCSFB) and in brain parenchymal cells. D-Serine microinjected into the cerebrum was not eliminated, suggesting a negligible contribution of D-serine efflux transport at the BBB. In contrast, D-serine was taken up from the circulating blood across the BBB via a carrier-mediated process. D-Serine elimination clearance from CSF was fourfold greater than that of d-mannitol, which is considered to reflect CSF bulk flow. The characteristics of D-serine uptake by isolated choroid plexus were consistent with those of Na(+)-independent alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 1 (asc-1). Uptake of D-serine by brain slices appeared to occur predominantly via asc-1 and Na(+)-dependent alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2. These findings suggest that the regulatory system of D-serine levels in ISF and CSF involves (i) asc-1 at the BCSFB, acting as a major pathway of D-serine elimination from the CSF, (ii) blood-to-brain and blood-to-CSF influx transport of D-serine across the BBB and BCSFB, and (iii) concentrative uptake of D-serine by brain parenchymal cells.

Multicentre age-related reference intervals for cerebrospinal fluid serine concentrations: implications for the diagnosis and follow-up of serine biosynthesis disorders.

The disorders of serine biosynthesis are a group of inborn errors of metabolism characterised by congenital microcephaly, seizures and severe psychomotor retardation. Although these disorders are rare the prompt recognition of serine deficiency is important as these disorders are treatable. The diagnosis is based on decreased concentrations of serine in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It has previously been reported that CSF serine concentrations are inversely associated with age. However, accurate age-related reference intervals have not been generated which has contributed to cases not being identified. In a multicentre study involving 9 different laboratories a total of 424 CSF serine results were obtained. Regression based analyses were performed to calculate age-specific reference intervals. Lower reference intervals for subjects aged 1week, 1month, 6months, 1year, 3years and 15years were 35.0, 31.0, 26.0, 24.0, 21.0 and 17.0µmol/L respectively. Assessment of CSF serine concentrations in 11 patients (aged 1day to 13years) previously diagnosed with disorders of serine biosynthesis (serine concentrations ranging from 5 to 18µmol/L) were clearly decreased compared to our age-related reference intervals and would have correctly identified all cases, thus enabling prompt treatment. However, if age had not been taken into consideration a reference interval of 12.6-69.4µmol/L would be obtained for the combined data set and would have resulted in 2 cases being missed. In conclusion, appropriate age-related reference intervals for CSF serine should be used to diagnose patients with inborn errors of serine biosynthesis.

Fatal cerebral edema associated with serine deficiency in CSF.

Two young girls without a notable medical history except for asthma presented with an acute toxic encephalopathy with very low serine concentrations both in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) comparable to patients with 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (3-PGDH) deficiency. Clinical symptoms and enzyme measurement (in one patient) excluded 3-PGDH deficiency. Deficiencies in other serine biosynthesis enzymes were highly unlikely on clinical grounds. On basis of the fasting state, ketone bodies and lactate in plasma, urine and CSF, we speculate that reduced serine levels were due to its use as gluconeogenic substrate, conversion to pyruvate by brain serine racemase or decreased L-serine production because of a lack of glucose. These are the first strikingly similar cases of patients with a clear secondary serine deficiency associated with a toxic encephalopathy.

The behavioral and neurochemical effects of a novel D-amino acid oxidase inhibitor compound 8 [4H-thieno [3,2-b]pyrrole-5-carboxylic acid] and D-serine.

Multiple studies indicate that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction underlies some of the deficits associated with schizophrenia. One approach for improving NMDA receptor function is to enhance occupancy of the glycine modulatory site on the NMDA receptor by increasing the availability of the endogenous coagonists D-serine. Here, we characterized a novel D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO) inhibitor, compound 8 [4H-thieno [3,2-b]pyrrole-5-carboxylic acid] and compared it with D-serine. Compound 8 is a moderately potent inhibitor of human (IC(50), 145 nM) and rat (IC(50), 114 nM) DAAO in vitro. In rats, compound 8 (200 mg/kg) decreased kidney DAAO activity by approximately 96% and brain DAAO activity by approximately 80%. This marked decrease in DAAO activity resulted in a significant (p < 0.001) elevation in both plasma (220% of control) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; 175% of control) D-serine concentration. However, compound 8 failed to significantly influence amphetamine-induced psychomotor activity, nucleus accumbens dopamine release, or an MK-801 (dizocilpine maleate)-induced deficit in novel object recognition in rats. In contrast, high doses of D-serine attenuated both amphetamine-induced psychomotor activity and dopamine release and also improved performance in novel object recognition. Behaviorally efficacious doses of D-serine (1280 mg/kg) increased CSF levels of D-serine 40-fold above that achieved by the maximal dose of compound 8. These findings demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition of DAAO significantly increases D-serine concentration in the periphery and central nervous system. However, acute inhibition of DAAO appears not to be sufficient to increase D-serine to concentrations required to produce antipsychotic and cognitive enhancing effects similar to those observed after administration of high doses of exogenous D-serine.

Cerebrospinal fluid D-serine and glycine concentrations are unaltered and unaffected by olanzapine therapy in male schizophrenic patients.

N-Methyl D-aspartate (NMDA)-receptor hypofunction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and D-serine and glycine add-on therapy to antipsychotics has shown beneficial effects in schizophrenic patients. Nevertheless, previous studies have not shown consistently altered D-serine concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of schizophrenic patients. To confirm and extend these results, CSF concentrations of both endogenous NMDA-receptor co-agonists d-serine and glycine and their common precursor L-serine were analyzed simultaneously in 17 healthy controls and 19 schizophrenic patients before and 6 weeks after daily olanzapine (10 mg) treatment. CSF D-serine, L-serine and glycine concentrations and their relative ratios were similar between schizophrenic patients and controls and no differences were observed before and after olanzapine therapy. Thus, the NMDA-receptor hypofunction hypothesis in schizophrenia is not explained by olanzapine therapy-dependent absolute or relative decreases in CSF D-serine and glycine concentrations in this series of male patients, thereby not providing convenient markers for the disorder.

Simultaneous analysis of D- and L-serine in cerebrospinal fluid by use of HPLC.

BACKGROUND: D-Serine is a coagonist for the glycine-binding site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors and has been implicated in various neuropsychiatric functions such as learning, memory, and nociception, as well as schizophrenia and Alzheimer disease. We developed an HPLC method for D- and L-serine in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). METHODS: The dabsylated racemic serine peak, automatically collected using a previously reported HPLC separation process for CSF amino acids, was desalted and subjected to a chiral resolution HPLC step with a Sumichiral column using an ultraviolet-visible detector. RESULTS: The limits of quantification (signal-to-noise ratio = 10) for D- and L-serine were 0.8 and 1.3 micromol/L, respectively. The mean imprecision values (CVs) for within-day measurements of D- and L-serine were 2.1% and 1.8%, respectively, and for between-day were 6.2% and 6.6%. Mean recovery of CSF serine (sum of D-serine + L-serine) applied to the Sumichiral column was 87%. The mean (SD) d-serine concentrations in 45 CSF samples obtained from 16 patients with chronic pain due to degenerative osteoarthritis of the knees, 16 with postherpetic neuralgia, and 13 with no pain were, respectively, 3.97 (0.44), 1.85 (0.21), and 2.72 (0.32) micromol/L. CONCLUSION: D- and L-serine can be quantified with ultraviolet-visible detection of dabsyl derivatives. The dabsyl derivatives are stable and allow duplicate analysis of CSF samples in multisample runs.

A CSF and postmortem brain study of D-serine metabolic parameters in schizophrenia.

Clinical trials demonstrated that D-serine administration improves schizophrenia symptoms, raising the possibility that altered levels of endogenous D-serine may contribute to the N-methyl D-aspartate receptor hypofunction thought to play a role in the disease. We hypothesized that cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF) D-serine levels are decreased in the patients due to reduced synthesis and/or increased degradation in brain. We now monitored amino acid levels in CSF from 12 schizophrenia patients vs. 12 controls and in postmortem parietal-cortex from 15 control subjects and 15 each of schizophrenia, major-depression and bipolar patients. In addition, we monitored postmortem brain serine racemase and D-amino acid oxidase protein levels by Western-blot analysis. We found a 25% decrease in D-serine levels and D/L-serine ratio in CSF of schizophrenia patients, while parietal-cortex D-serine was unaltered. Levels of L-serine, L-glutamine and L-glutamate were unaffected. Frontal-cortex (39%) and hippocampal (21%) serine racemase protein levels and hippocampal serine racemase/D-amino acid oxidase ratio (34%) were reduced. Hippocampal D-amino-acid-oxidase protein levels significantly correlated with duration of illness (r=0.6, p=0.019) but not age. D-amino acid oxidase levels in patients with DOI>20 years were 77% significantly higher than in the other patients and controls. Our results suggest that reduced brain serine racemase and elevated D-amino acid oxidase protein levels may contribute to the lower CSF D-serine levels in schizophrenia.

D-serine in the developing human central nervous system.

To elucidate the role of D-serine in human central nervous system, we analyzed D-serine, L-serine, and glycine concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid of healthy children and children with a defective L-serine biosynthesis (3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase deficiency). Healthy children showed high D-serine concentrations immediately after birth, both absolutely and relative to glycine and L-serine, declining to low values at infancy. D-Serine concentrations were almost undetectable in untreated 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase-deficient patients. In one patient treated prenatally, D-serine concentration was nearly normal at birth and the clinical phenotype was normal. These observations suggest a pivotal role for D-serine in normal and aberrant human brain development.

Reduced D-serine to total serine ratio in the cerebrospinal fluid of drug naive schizophrenic patients.

Several lines of evidence suggest that D-serine, an endogenous agonist of the glycine site on the NMDA receptors, might play a role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether levels of D- and L-serine or D-serine ratio (D-serine/total serine) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were altered in first episode and drug-naive schizophrenic patients. The CSF levels of D- and L-serine in 25 male first episode and drug-naive schizophrenic patients and 17 age-matched male healthy subjects were measured using a column-switching high performance liquid chromatography system. The percentage of D-serine in the total serine of patients was significantly (z = -2.01, p = 0.044) lower than that of controls. This study suggests that synthetic or metabolic pathways of D-serine may be abnormal in the brain of drug-naive schizophrenic patients, supporting the NMDA receptor dysfunction hypothesis of schizophrenia.

Determination of glutamine and serine in rat cerebrospinal fluid using capillary electrochromatography with a modified photopolymerized sol-gel monolithic column.

Capillary electrochromatographic separations of amino acid mixtures were studied using two modified porous photopolymerized sol-gel monolithic columns. One was modified with dimethyloctadecylchlorosilane (DMOS), and the other was modified with DMOS, followed by chlorotrimethylsilane to end-cap residual silanol groups. Prior to separation, amino acids were derivatized with 4-fluoro-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole using as a mobile phase 50 mM phosphate (pH 2.5), water, and acetonitrile in the ratio of 1:1:8. Five derivatized amino acids (Asn, Phe, Ala, Ile, and Leu) were separated within 7 min. Theoretical plate numbers varied between 58700 and 105000/m. This separation method with the end-capped monolithic column was applied to rat cerebrospinal fluid. The dominant amino acid found was Gln at a concentration of 420 microM along with small quantities of Ser (54 microM).

Cerebrospinal fluid glutamine, tryptophan, and tryptophan metabolite concentrations in dogs with portosystemic shunts.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether glutamine (GLN), tryptophan (TRP), and tryptophan metabolite concentrations are higher in cerebralspinal fluid (CSF) dogs with naturally occurring portosystemic shunts (PSS), compared with control dogs. ANIMALS: 11 dogs with confirmed PSS and 12 control dogs fed low- and high-protein diets. PROCEDURE: Cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples were collected from all dogs. Serum and CSF concentrations of GLN, alanine, serine, TRP, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), and quinolinic acid (QUIN) were measured. RESULTS: Cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of GLN, TRP, and 5-HIAA were significantly higher in PSS dogs, compared with control dogs fed high- or low-protein diets. Cerebrospinal fluid QUIN concentration was significantly higher in PSS dogs, compared with control dogs fed the low-protein diet. Serum QUIN concentration was significantly lower in PSS dogs, compared with control dogs fed either high- or low-protein diets. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: An increase in CNS GLN concentration is associated with high CSF concentrations of TRP and TRP metabolites in dogs with PSS. High CSF 5-HIAA concentrations indicate an increased flux of TRP through the CNS serotonin metabolic pathway, whereas high CSF QUIN concentrations indicate an increased metabolism of TRP through the indolamine-2,3-dioxygenase pathway. The high CSF QUIN concentrations in the face of low serum QUIN concentrations in dogs with PSS indicates that QUIN production from TRP is occurring in the CNS. High concentrations of QUIN and other TRP metabolites in the CNS may contribute to neurologic abnormalities found in dogs with PSS and hepatic encephalopathy.