Record Information
Version1.0
StatusDetected and Quantified
Creation Date2020-12-10 18:39:46 UTC
Update Date2024-04-30 19:32:48 UTC
Metabolite IDMMDBc0000526
Metabolite Identification
Common Name3-Methylglutarylcarnitine
Description3-Methylglutarylcarnitine is an acylcarnitine. More specifically, it is an methylglutaric acid ester of carnitine. Acylcarnitines were first discovered more than 70 year ago (PMID: 13825279 ). It is believed that there are more than 1000 types of acylcarnitines in the human body. The general role of acylcarnitines is to transport acyl-groups (organic acids and fatty acids) from the cytoplasm into the mitochondria so that they can be broken down to produce energy.  This process is known as beta-oxidation. According to a recent review [Dambrova et al. 2021, Physiological Reviews], acylcarnitines (ACs) can be classified into 9 different categories depending on the type and size of their acyl-group: 1) short-chain ACs; 2) medium-chain ACs; 3) long-chain ACs; 4) very long-chain ACs; 5) hydroxy ACs; 6) branched chain ACs; 7) unsaturated ACs; 8) dicarboxylic ACs and 9) miscellaneous ACs. Short-chain ACs have acyl-groups with two to five carbons (C2-C5), medium-chain ACs have acyl-groups with six to thirteen carbons (C6-C13), long-chain ACs have acyl-groups with fourteen to twenty once carbons (C14-C21) and very long-chain ACs have acyl groups with more than 22 carbons. 3-Methylglutarylcarnitine is therefore classified as a medium chain AC. As a medium-chain acylcarnitine 3-methylglutarylcarnitine is somewhat less abundant than short-chain acylcarnitines. These are formed either through esterification with L-carnitine or through the peroxisomal metabolism of longer chain acylcarnitines (PMID: 30540494 ). Many medium-chain acylcarnitines can serve as useful markers for inherited disorders of fatty acid metabolism. In particular 3-methylglutarylcarnitine is elevated in the blood or plasma of individuals with psoriasis (PMID: 33391503 ), CVD (PMID: 32376321 ), Norman-Roberts syndrome (PMID: 15083694 ), type 2 diabetes Mellitus (PMID: 20111019 , PMID: 19369366 , PMID: 29436377 ), carnitine palmitoyl-trasferase 2 deficiency (PMID: 9657346 ), Familial Mediterranean Fever (PMID: 29900937 ), multiple acyl coenzyme A dehydrogenase Deficiency (PMID: 30510944 ), CVD in type 2 diabetes Mellitus (PMID: 32431666 ), and gestational diabetes mellitus (PMID: 29436377 ). It is also decreased in the blood or plasma of individuals with Celiac disease (PMID: 16425363 ). 3-Methylglutarylcarnitine is elevated in the urine of individuals with medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (PMID: 1635814 , PMID: 2246856 ). 3-Methylglutarylcarnitine is a diagnostic metabolite of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A lyase deficiency. It is also identified in the urine of patients with Reye-like syndrome (PMID: 3958190 , 10927963 ). Carnitine octanoyltransferase (CrOT, EC:2.3.1.137) is responsible for the synthesis of all medium-chain (MCAC, C5-C12) and medium-length branched-chain acylcarnitines in peroxisomes (PMID: 10486279 ). The study of acylcarnitines is an active area of research and it is likely that many novel acylcarnitines will be discovered in the coming years. It is also likely that many novel roles in health and disease will be uncovered. An excellent review of the current state of knowledge for acylcarnitines is available at [Dambrova et al. 2021, Physiological Reviews].
Structure
Synonyms
ValueSource
(3R)-3-{[(3R)-4-carboxy-3-methylbutanoyl]oxy}-4-(trimethylazaniumyl)butanoic acidHMDB
MethylglutarylcarnitineHMDB
O-3-MethylglutarylcarnitineHMDB
3-MethylglutarylcarnitineHMDB
Molecular FormulaC13H23NO6
Average Mass289.328
Monoisotopic Mass289.152537465
IUPAC Name(3R)-3-{[(3R)-4-carboxy-3-methylbutanoyl]oxy}-4-(trimethylazaniumyl)butanoate
Traditional Name(3R)-3-{[(3R)-4-carboxy-3-methylbutanoyl]oxy}-4-(trimethylammonio)butanoate
CAS Registry NumberNot Available
SMILES
C[C@H](CC(O)=O)CC(=O)O[C@H](CC([O-])=O)C[N+](C)(C)C
InChI Identifier
InChI=1S/C13H23NO6/c1-9(5-11(15)16)6-13(19)20-10(7-12(17)18)8-14(2,3)4/h9-10H,5-8H2,1-4H3,(H-,15,16,17,18)/t9-,10-/m1/s1
InChI KeyHFCPFJNSBPQJDP-NXEZZACHSA-N