Comparison of the Effect of Soy and Casein-Derived Peptide Administration on Tyrosine and Catecholamine Metabolism in the Mouse Brain

The effect of soy and casein peptide intake on the metabolism of amino acids and monoamine neurotransmitters in the serum and brain were examined in C57BL/6 mice. Acute oral administration of soy peptide (0.026 g/30 g body weight) caused a notable increase in tyrosine, a catecholamine precursor, in the serum and cerebral cortex, whereas casein peptide administration at the same dose led to an increase in tyrosine in the serum, but not in the cerebral cortex. In addition to tyrosine, soy peptide administration also led to an effective augmentation of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (MHPG), a principal metabolite of noradrenaline, and significant facilitation of noradrenergic turnover in the cerebral cortex, brainstem, and hippocampus compared to the vehicle control. Casein peptide administration also led to an increase in MHPG only in the cerebral cortex, and caused facilitation of noradrenergic turnover in the cerebral cortex and brainstem. These in vivo observations suggest that both soy and casein peptide intake at this concentration can lead to an increased availability of tyrosine and stimulation of noradrenergic turnover in the brain.