meta-tyrosine

meta-Tyrosine (also known as m-tyrosine or m-Tyr) is a naturally occurring non-proteinogenic isomer of tyrosine and an antimetabolite of phenylalanine. It is produced in vivo under conditions of oxidative stress via the non-enzymatic hydroxylation of phenylalanine by hydroxyl free radicals. In oncology, meta-tyrosine has been identified as a key mediator of concomitant tumor resistance (CR), a phenomenon where a primary tumor inhibits the growth of secondary metastases. It exerts potent anti-metastatic and antiproliferative effects by competing with phenylalanine for incorporation into proteins via phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, leading to translational misincorporation, proteotoxic stress, and autophagy. Additionally, meta-tyrosine has been shown to downregulate the NFκB/STAT3/Notch signaling axis and inhibit the MAPK/ERK pathway. Historically, meta-tyrosine was also investigated as a clinical candidate for Parkinson's disease due to its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier and undergo decarboxylation by aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) to form meta-tyramine, which is subsequently metabolized into dopamine.

Other names

3-hydroxy-L-phenylalanine3-hydroxyphenylalanine3-tyrosineL-meta-tyrosineL-m-TyrL-m-tyrosinem-Tyrm-tyrosine