151-18-8

clear colourless to yellow liquid

Production of β-alanine and pantothenic acid.

ChEBI: An aminopropionitrile carrying an amino group at the beta-position.

3-Aminopropionitrile is the compound present in some Lathyms species (Leguminosae), especially sweet-pea seeds (L. odoratus), causing osteolathyrism in man and animals. Although 3-aminopropionitrile is generally present in the fresh plant as the gama-glutamyl derivative, only the free amine is an effective lathyrogen.
Osteolathyrogens cause skeletal deformations due to interference with the cross-linking between polypeptide chains in the connective tissue components, elastin and collagen. This interference is partly due to inhibition of the synthesis of desmosine and isodesmosine, amino acids which effect the cross-linking in elastin. Cross-linking interference of collagen can be prevented in chicks by feed- ing excess calcium.
It is possible that 3-aminopropionitrile is adegradation product of 3-cyano-alanine, although in many plants the latter compound is converted to asparagine and it has not been detected in Lathyms species.