1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid

1-Aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACPC) is an intermediate in the synthesis of ethylene, the plant hormone responsible for biological processes ranging from seed germination to organ senescence.¹ ACPC has been shown to modulate NMDA receptor activity by acting as a partial agonist at the glycine-binding site on NMDA receptors (EC₅₀ = 0.7-0.9 ?M) in the presence of low levels (1 ?M) of glutamate and as a competitive antagonist at the glutamate-binding site on NMDA receptors (EC₅₀ = 81.6 nM) with high levels (10 ?M) of glutamate.² This compound has been reported to protect against neuron cell death in in vivo models of ischemia by enabling moderate levels of NMDA receptor activation and attenuating any excess NMDA receptor signaling that may lead to neurotoxicity.²

1.Bleecker, A.B., and Kende, H.Ethylene: A gaseous signal molecule in plantsAnnu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol.161-18(2000) 2.Nahum-Levy, R., Fossom, L.H., Skolnick, P., et al.Putative partial agonist 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid acts concurrently as a glycine-site agonist and a glutamate-site antagonist at N-methyl-D-aspartate receptorsMol. Pharmacol.56(6)1207-1218(1999)