Abstract
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase were found to be localized in the soluble fraction of rat brain. They are clearly separated from serine hydroxymethyltransferase and the glycine cleavage complex which are localized in the mitochondria in this tissue. Hence, although the primary, if not the only, site of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate formation in brain appears to be the mitochondrion, the utilization of this compound for 5-methyltetrahydrofolate synthesis and utilization of the latter compound for methylation of homocysteine occurs in the cytosol. Parallel experiments with rat liver confirmed that the reductase and homocysteine methyltransferase of this tissue are also localized in the soluble fraction, while the hydroxymethyltransferase is about evenly divided between mitochondria and cytosol. However, in liver (but not in brain) the reductase activity of the supernatant fraction is only partially expressed unless the fraction is dialyzed. We have found that this phenomenon, which initially suggested the occurrence of an endogenous inhibitor in liver extracts [Ordoñez and Wurtman (1973) J. Neurochem., 21, 1447–1455] , is due to loss of the product (5, 10-methyl-enetetrahydrofolate) of the reductase assay via its oxidation by methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, in combination with the NADP present in undialyzed extracts. All regions of the rat central nervous system tested contained methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase activity. Regional variations were observed however, with an almost threefold difference between the specific activities of the highest and lowest ranking regions Comparison of the rank order of 12 regions tested with respect to reductase specific activity (this study) and methyltetrahydrofolate-tryptamine N-methyltransferase specific activity [Mandell, Knapp, and Hsu (1974) Life Sci., 14, 1–17] shows a high positive correlation ( r = 0.916) between these activities in the selected regions.
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