4478 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid is an abnormal metabolite that arises from the incomplete breakdown of branched-chain amino acids. 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid is a neurotoxin, an acidogen, and a metabotoxin. A neurotoxin causes damage to nerve cells and nerve tissues. An acidogen is an acidic compound that induces acidosis, which has multiple adverse effects on many organ systems. A metabotoxin is an endogenously produced metabolite that causes adverse health effects at chronically high levels. Chronically high levels of 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid are associated with maple syrup urine disease. MSUD is a metabolic disorder caused by a deficiency of the branched-chain alpha-keto acid dehydrogenase complex (BCKDC), leading to a buildup of the branched-chain amino acids (leucine, isoleucine, and valine) and their toxic by-products (ketoacids) in the blood and urine. The symptoms of MSUD often show in infancy and lead to severe brain damage if untreated. MSUD may also present later depending on the severity of the disease. If left untreated in older individuals, during times of metabolic crisis, symptoms of the condition include uncharacteristically inappropriate, extreme, or erratic behaviour and moods, hallucinations, anorexia, weight loss, anemia, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, lethargy, oscillating hypertonia and hypotonia, ataxia, seizures, hypoglycemia, ketoacidosis, opisthotonus, pancreatitis, rapid neurological decline, and coma. In maple syrup urine disease, the brain concentration of branched-chain ketoacids can increase 10- to 20-fold. This leads to a depletion of glutamate and a consequent reduction in the concentration of brain glutamine, aspartate, alanine, and other amino acids. The result is a compromise of energy metabolism because of a failure of the malate-aspartate shuttle and a diminished rate of protein synthesis (PMID: 15930465). 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid is a keto-acid, which is a subclass of organic acids. Abnormally high levels of organic acids in the blood (organic acidemia), urine (organic aciduria), the brain, and other tissues lead to general metabolic acidosis. Acidosis typically occurs when arterial pH falls below 7.35. In infants with acidosis, the initial symptoms include poor feeding, vomiting, loss of appetite, weak muscle tone (hypotonia), and lack of energy (lethargy). These can progress to heart, liver, and kidney abnormalities, seizures, coma, and possibly death. These are also the characteristic symptoms of untreated MSUD. Many affected children with organic acidemias experience intellectual disability or delayed development. 1460-34-0 47 C6H10O3 White powder. 915.5 mg/mL 3-Methyl-2-oxovaleric acid is produced from isoleucine by cytosolic branched chain aminotransferase 1, whereupon it is further degraded by branched chain keto acid dehydrogenase E1 to 2-methyl-1-hydroxybutyl-ThPP. It is used as a clinical marker for maple syrup urine disease (MSUD). MSUD is caused by a deficiency of the branched-chain -keto acid dehydrogenase complex resulting in an accumulation of branched-chain amino acids and the corresponding -keto-and -hydroxy acids in blood, urine and cerebrospinal fluid causing neurological damage and mental retardation. No indication of carcinogenicity to humans (not listed by IARC). This is an endogenously produced metabolite found in the human body. It is used in metabolic reactions, catabolic reactions or waste generation. Chronically high levels of 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid are associated with Maple Syrup Urine Disease. 2014-08-29T06:51:12Z 2018-03-21T17:46:21Z C03465 35932 2-KETO-3-METHYL-VALERATE true CCC(C)C(=O)C(O)=O C6H10O3 InChI=1/C6H10O3/c1-3-4(2)5(7)6(8)9/h4H,3H2,1-2H3,(H,8,9) InChIKey=JVQYSWDUAOAHFM-UHFFFAOYNA-N 130.1418 130.062994186 Endogenous Solid HMDB00491 46 Kondo, Shigeo; Sudo, Tetsuji; Ogiwara, Mitsuo; Takeuchi, Hiroshi. a-Oxo-b-methyl-n-valeric acid and its salts. Jpn. Kokai Tokkyo Koho (1979), 3 pp.