N-Acetylglutamine (GIcNAc) is a modified amino acid (an acetylated analogue of glutamine), a metabolite present in normal human urine. The decomposition products of GIcNAc have been identified by NMR and HPLC-MS as N-acetyl-L-glutamic acid, N-(2,6-dioxo-3-piperidinyl) acetamide, pyroglutamic acid, glutamic acid, and glutamine. GIcNAc is used for parenteral nutrition as a source of glutamine, since glutamine is too unstable, but GIcNAc is very stable. In patients treated with aminoglycosides and/or glycopeptides, elevation GIcNAc in urine suggests renal tubular injury. High amounts of N-acetylated amino acids (i.e.: N-Acetylglutamine) were detected patient with aminoacylase I deficiency (EC 3.5.1.14, a homodimeric zinc-binding metalloenzyme located in the cytosol), a novel inborn error of metabolism. (PMID: 15331932, 11312773, 7952062, 2569664, 16274666) [HMDB]
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