Oxidative Products of Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4)

Neopterin and biopterin are by-products of the redox reactions involving tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4). BH4 functions as a cofactor for the enzymes responsible for the production of monoamine neurotransmitters (ephinepherine, norepinephrine, DOPA, serotonin), and as a cofactor in nitric oxide production. Low biopterin levels may reflect insufficient BH4 status. Restricted BH4 cofactor availability has been suggested as an etiologic factor in:

• Neurological Disease - Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Autism, Depression, DOPA-responsive Dystonia
• Insulin Resistance
• Cardiovascular Disease
• Inborn-errors of metabolism: Phenylketonuria, Hyperphenylalaninemia

Neopterin is a marker of inflammation, allowing detection and monitoring of inflammatory processes. The origin of the inflammation may be the small intestine pathology that so often requires treatment in children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Neopterin is elevated in:

• Infections
• Autoimmune diseases: Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Lupus, and Atopic Asthma
• Malignant diseases
• Psychiatric disorders
• Sleep-disordered breathing
• Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

Read the Neopterin and Biopterin White Paper for more information!

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