AdoHcy Levels Research Articles

Adenosine dialdehyde and neplanocin A: Potent inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase in neuroblastoma N2a cells

S-Adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (AdoHcy hydrolase, E.C. 3.3.1.1) catalyzes the metabolism of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) to adenosine (Ado) and homocysteine (Hcy) in mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells. AdoHcy hydrolase in N2a cells can be inhibited completely by adenosine dialdehyde (Ado dialdehyde) or neplanocin A. The inhibitory effects of Ado dialdehyde (2.5 ?M) and neplanocin A (1 ?M) on cellular AdoHcy hydrolase were time-dependent, with total enzyme inhibition occurring after 30 min and 15 min of incubation, respectively. The inhibition of AdoHcy hydrolase produced by Ado dialdehyde and neplanocin A persisted for up to 72 h of incubation, and was paralleled by a time-dependent increase in endogenous AdoHcy levels reaching a maximum 4-fold elevation after 8 h of incubation with Ado dialdehyde and an 11-fold increase in the neplanocin A-treated cells. This increase in AdoHcy levels produced a subsequent inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent cellular methylations (e.g. protein carboxylmethylation (PCM), lipid methylation). In addition, neplanocin A was metabolically converted to the corresponding AdoMet analog, S-neplanocylmethionine (NepMet), in neuroblastoma N2a cells. NepMet reached maximum levels after 8 h of incubation of the cells with neplanocin A.

3-deazaneplanocin A: A new inhibitor of S-adenosylhomocysteine synthesis and its effects in human colon carcinoma cells

The mechanism of action of the cyclopentenyl analogue of 3-deazaadenosine (3-deazaneplanocin A or c 3Nep) was investigated in the human colon carcinoma cell line HT-29. Upon exposure of cells for 24 hr to 3-deazaneplanoxin A (c 3Nep), neplanocin A (Nep) or 3-deazaaristeromycin (c 3Ari), significant toxicity was noted only for Nep, wherein an 87% reduction in viability was produced at a 100 μM concentration. c 3Nep and c 3Ari at 100 μM reduced viability by 34 and 21%, respectively. Intracellular levels of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) were elevated by a 24-hr exposure to 100 μM c 3Nep, Nep and c 3Ari and were 120, 75 and 25 pmoles/10 6 cells respectively. Only Nep was metabolized to an S-adenosylmethionine-like metabolite, and its formation was dose-related to its cytotoxicity. The t 1 2 for the disappearance of elevated levels of AdoHcy following drug removal was 1.6 to 2.5 hr for all drugs. rRNA and tRNA methylation was inhibited significantly by Nep, but c 3Nep and c 3Ari inhibited tRNA methylation but not rRNA methylation to a lesser degree. These results demonstrate that c 3Nep is a potent inhibitor of AdoHcy synthesis with a low degree of cytotoxicity.

Quantitative evaluation and regulation of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent transmethylation in sheep tissues

1. 1. The overall rates of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent transmethylation were estimated in various tissues from the initial rate of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) plus AdoMet accumulation after blocking hydrolysis of AdoHcy. The rates were found to differ widely among the tissues of sheep and the highest rate was in the pancreas, being 600 times higher than that in the muscle. 2. 2. Sheep liver possessed approximately 75% of total-body capacity for transmethylation although the transmethylation rate was approximately half that in rat liver. 3. 3. The minimum estimate of daily requirement of AdoMet for transmethylation for adult sheep was approximately 18 mmol, far in excess of methionine intake. 4. 4. Methionine loading elevated AdoMet levels only in the tissues with a high or moderate rate of transmethylation. 5. 5. The kinetic properties of major methyltransferases in sheep liver along with tissue distribution of AdoMet and AdoHcy suggest that transmethylation rate is subject to physiological regulation by tissue levels of AdoMet and AdoHcy.

4'-Thioadenosine as a novel inhibitor of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase and an inducer for the differentiation of HL-60 human leukemia cells.

Analogs of adenosine with modifications in the ribofuranosyl moiety such as (±)aristeromycin (1), 3-deaza-(±)aristeromycin (2-4) and neplanocin A (5) are excellent inhibitors of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) hydrolase with competitive Ki and irreversible KI values in the nanomolar ranges. In addition to being inhibitors, some of these modified compounds can also substitute for adenosine as alternative substrates, yielding S-nucleosidinylhomocysteine (NucHcy) analogs (4). Inhibitors of AdoHcy hydrolase will cause elevations in the cellular levels of AdoHcy and/or the production of NucHcy analogs. The main biochemical effect is the inhibition of transmethylation reactions (6-9), normally accompanied by a rise in the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) level. The correlative biological effects are many (4), and chief among them is the induction of differentiation of cell lines. For example, 3-deaza-adenosine enhances the transformation of 3T3-L1 fibroblasts to fat cells upon confluency (10), and 3-deaza-(±)aristeromycin induces the differentiation of HL-60 human promyelocytc leukemia cells to neutrophils (11).

DETERMINATION OF S-ADENOSYLHOMOCYSTEINE IN TISSUES FOLLOWING PHARMACOLOGICAL INHIBITION OF S-ADENOSYLHOMOCYSTEINE CATABOLISM: 84

The amount of S-adenosylhomocysteine in liver increases 2 to 3 fold during the first minute following death of the animal (Hoffman, D.R. et al. (1979) Can. J. Biochem. 57, 56-65), and postmortem increase in AdoHcy should be avoided when determining the physiological level of AdoHcy. Injection of mice with the drug combination ara-A plus dCF caused a massive increase in the AdoHcy content in several tissues of mice. A large fraction of the amount of AdoHcy in liver and to a lesser degree in kidney, heart and lung of mice so treated, could be attributed to a rapid postmortem accumulation of AdoHcy. This could be prevented by freezing the organs in vivo using liquid nitrogen.

The involvement of methyl transfer reactions and S‐adenosylhomocysteine in the regulation of bovine sperm motility

AbstractThe methylation of proteins and phospholipids has been demonstrated in mammalian sperm. The role of these methylation reactions in the regulation of sperm motility is, however, unclear. A combination of agents [adenosine, L‐homocysteine and erythro‐9‐(2‐hydroxyl‐3‐nonyl) adenine (EHNA)] known to increase the level of S‐adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy), a competitive inhibitor of S‐adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)‐mediated methylations, has been shown to inhibit rabbit sperm motility. The level of AdoHcy in response to these agents has, however, not been measured. Therefore, enzymatic protein carboxylmethylation (PCM) and the consequences of its inhibition by elevated intrasperm AdoHcy levels on motility were studied using bovine sperm. Incubation of bovine cauda epididymal sperm with L‐[methyl‐3H]methionine resulted in a linear increase in PCM for up to 2 h. Treatment of sperm with adenosine (0.5 mM), L‐homocysteine (0.5 mM), and EHNA (0.25 mM) produced a dramatic increase in AdoHcy levels after 15 min and a 97% inhibition of PCM after 0.5 h, followed by an inhibition of sperm motility (58% and 97%) after 1 and 2 h. Similar but less marked results were obtained with L‐homocysteine (0.5 mM) alone. Individually, cycloleucine (20 mM), an inhibitor of AdoMet synthetase, and adenosine (0.5 mM) also inhibited PCM (87% and 70%, respectively) after 2 h but had no effect on sperm motility or AdoHcy levels. These studies show for the first time that agents that elevate AdoHcy levels inhibit sperm motility. This, however, leaves open the question of whether protein carboxylmethylation or other methyl transfer reactions, eg, involving phospholipid, might be critical to motility inhibition by AdoHcy. Thus, the mechanism by which AdoHcy inhibits sperm motility remains unclear.

Effect of 5'-methylthioadenosine, 3-deazaadenosine, and related compounds on human natural killer cell activity. Relation to cyclic AMP and methylation potential.

The effect of 5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA) on human natural killer (NK) cell activity was examined and compared with the effect of 3-deazaadenosine (c3-ado) and periodate-oxidized adenosine (ado-ox). MTA inhibited NK cell activity in concentrations above 30 microM, but in concentrations below 10 microM a slight enhancing effect was often observed. C3-ado and ado-ox were 10 and 3 times more potent, respectively, as inhibitory agents and did not increase NK cell activity in low concentrations. The inhibitory effect of c3-ado was unaffected by preincubation of the cells but was enhanced by the addition of L-homocysteine. In concentrations that caused inhibition of NK cell activity all three agents caused a fall in the methylation index (AdoMet/AdoHcy) but no or an inconsistent effect on the level of cyclic AMP. An increase in the level of AdoHcy was observed already after 1 h of incubation but was more pronounced after 4 h of preincubation with the adenosine derivatives. The inhibition of cytotoxicity was mainly on their initiation of lysis, with a smaller effect on target cell binding. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity and lectin-dependent cellular cytotoxicity appeared to be less sensitive to inhibition by c3-ado. Our results show that several adenosine analogues inhibit NK-cell-mediated cytotoxicity in parallel with a decreased methylation index. The results suggest that a methylation step is critical in lymphocyte-mediated cytotoxicity and that NK cell activity is more sensitive to inhibition of this step than antibody- or lectin-dependent cytoxicity.

3-Deazaadenosine. S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase-independent mechanism of action in mouse lymphocytes.

3-Deazaadenosine (c3Ado) inhibits the ability of specifically sensitized mouse lymphocytes to lyse tumor cells, and this effect of c3Ado on immune function is accompanied by a buildup of both S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) and S-3-deazaadenosylhomocysteine (c3AdoHcy) within the lymphocytes (Zimmerman, T. P., Wolberg, G., and Duncan, G. S. (1978) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 75, 6220-6224). Several types of evidence have now been obtained which indicate that neither of these latter two biochemical events contributes to this biological activity of c3Ado. First, periodate-oxidized adenosine (Adox) and 3-deaza(+/-)aristeromycin, two compounds which are not inhibitory to this lymphocyte function, were both more effective than c3Ado in elevating lymphocyte AdoHcy levels and in inhibiting protein carboxymethylation within these cells. Second, pretreatment of lymphocytes with Adox (to inhibit AdoHcy hydrolase) prevented the metabolic formation of c3AdoHcy during subsequent incubation of the cells with c3Ado without diminishment of the biological activity of c3Ado. Third, the lymphocyte buildup of c3AdoHcy exhibited a concentration dependence upon c3Ado which was biphasic and greatly dissimilar to that for the inhibition of lymphocyte function by c3Ado. These results are not compatible with the widely held view that c3Ado, as a single agent, affects various cellular functions as a consequence of elevations in intracellular AdoHcy and/or c3AdoHcy and suggest that c3Ado inhibits this particular lymphocyte function by an unknown mechanism which is independent of the interaction of c3Ado with AdoHcy hydrolase. During this study, it was found that pretreatment of lymphocytes with Adox prevented the potentiation by homocysteine of this immunoinhibitory activity of c3Ado and reduced the biological effect of the c3Ado/homocysteine combination to that observed with c3Ado alone. This result indicates that the ability of homocysteine to potentiate this biological activity of c3Ado requires the metabolic formation of c3AdoHcy catalyzed by AdoHcy hydrolase.

Tissue levels of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine in rats fed methyl-deficient, amino acid-defined diets for one to five weeks.

The levels of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) as well as the ratio of AdoMet/AdoHcy were determined in the liver, lungs, testes and kidneys of weanling male rats fed a commercial chow diet or 5 different amino acid-defined diets for 1-5 weeks. The amino acid-defined diets used were as follows: diet 1, supplemented with methionine, choline, folic acid and vitamin B12; diet 2, deficient in methionine and choline; diet 3, deficient in methionine alone; diet 4, deficient in choline alone; diet 5, deficient in methionine, choline, folic acid and vitamin B12. All methionine-deficient diets were supplemented with an equimolar dose of its metabolic precursor, homocystine. The animals were sacrificed after 1, 3 and 5 weeks of treatment. In animals fed either the chow diet or diet 1, liver was the organ found to contain the highest levels of AdoMet and AdoHcy. Similarly, in animals fed diet 1 or chow, the testes and lungs contained the lowest level of AdoMet, while the lungs contained the lowest levels of AdoHcy. In general, the tissue levels of AdoHcy and AdoMet in rats fed diet 1 were very similar to the corresponding values found in chow-fed rats. Diet 1 feeding, however, led to higher hepatic levels of AdoMet than did the administration of the chow diet. The administration of the methyl-deficient diets generally led to decreased hepatic AdoMet contents at 3 and 5 weeks; the methyl-deficient diets also led to increased AdoHcy contents and decreased AdoMet:AdoHcy ratios when compared with diet 1. Linear regression analysis showed a significant direct correlation between the observed hepatic AdoMet levels and the methyl content of the diet as well as an inverse correlation between hepatic AdoHcy levels and dietary methyl contents. Unlike liver, the lung and testes did not show any decrease in AdoMet content following feeding of the methyl-deficient diets. These tissues did show, however, early significant increases in AdoHcy contents and corresponding decreases in the ratios of AdoMet:AdoHcy. These changes were found to be proportional to the dietary methyl content. The renal contents of AdoMet, AdoHcy and the ratio of AdoMet/AdoHcy were unaffected by any of the diets administered except for diet 5. The administration of diet 5 to rats for 5 weeks led to a significant increase in renal AdoHcy. These results provide evidence indicating that dietary methyl insufficiency may exert its role in carcinogenesis through a decreased availability of AdoMet in vivo.

Possible role of increased brain methylation in methionine sulfoximine epileptogenesis: effects of administration of adenosine and homocysteine thiolactone.

An intraventricular pulse of [14COOH]L-methionine to mice pretreated with the convulsant L-methionine-dl-sulfoximine (MSO) resulted in significantly higher than control specific radioactivity values of cerebral [14COOH]L-methionine (Met), [14COOH]S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) and [14COOH]S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy). MSO administration (3 hr) also decreased brain steady-state levels of Met, AdoMet, and AdoHcy. Following an intraventricular pulse of [3H-methyl]L-methionine, the levels of [3H-methyl]phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine and of membrane associated and soluble [3H-methyl]carboxylmethylated proteins were increased over corresponding saline-treated controls. The activity of cerebral histamine N-methyltransferase was also increased after MSO treatment. The administration of a combination of adenosine and homocysteine thiolactone to MSO-pretreated animals counteracted the MSO-induced decreases in brain Met, AdoMet, and AdoHcy as well as the increase in histamine N-methyltransferase activity. In addition, administration of adenosine together with homocysteine thiolactone decreased the incidence of, and increased the latency to MSO seizures, with the most effective anticonvulsant action occurring when cerebral AdoHcy levels were at their highest.

The effect of pharmacologic inhibition of phospholipid methylation on human platelet function

Human platelets are capable of synthesizing their major membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine, by a methylation pathway. This involves the sequential transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosyl-L- methionine (AdoMet) to phosphatidylethanolamine, and in the process, AdoMet is converted to S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy). The activity of this methylation pathway is decreased upon stimulation of platelets by various agonists. We inhibited methylation reactions pharmacologically to see whether this inhibition plays any role in the process of platelet activation. Two inhibitors of AdoHcy hydrolase, 3-deaza- adenosine and 3-deaza-(+/-)aristeromycin (500 microM each), were effective in increasing platelets levels of AdoHcy and preventing turnover of AdoMet. Also, these compounds were equipotent in inhibiting platelet phospholipid methylation. However, while 3-deaza-adenosine potentiated platelet aggregation and 14C-serotonin release induced by epinephrine or adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (p less than 0.01), 3-deaza- aristeromycin had no such effect. Neither compound affected platelet responses to thrombin or collagen. Inhibition of methylation reactions was not the only biochemical effect of 3-deaza-adenosine since it also blunted significantly the elevation of platelet cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) levels induced by prostaglandin E1 (p less than 0.02). Therefore, these studies demonstrate that inhibition of platelet phospholipid methylation, per se, has no discernable effect on the function of human platelets. The methylation pathway, though active in platelets, does not appear to be primarily involved in membrane events responsible for platelet activation.

The Effect of Pharmacologic Inhibition of Phospholipid Methylation on Human Platelet Function

Human platelets are capable of synthesizing their major membrane phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine, by a methylation pathway. This involves the sequential transfer of methyl groups from S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to phosphatidylethanolamine, and in the process, AdoMet is converted to S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy). The activity of this methylation pathway is decreased upon stimulation of platelets by various agonists. We inhibited methylation reactions pharmacologically to see whether this inhibition plays any role in the process of platelet activation. Two inhibitors of AdoHcy hydrolase, 3-deaza-adenosine and 3-deaza-(+/-)aristeromycin (500 microM each), were effective in increasing platelets levels of AdoHcy and preventing turnover of AdoMet. Also, these compounds were equipotent in inhibiting platelet phospholipid methylation. However, while 3-deaza-adenosine potentiated platelet aggregation and 14C-serotonin release induced by epinephrine or adenosine diphosphate (ADP) (p less than 0.01), 3-deaza-aristeromycin had no such effect. Neither compound affected platelet responses to thrombin or collagen. Inhibition of methylation reactions was not the only biochemical effect of 3-deaza-adenosine since it also blunted significantly the elevation of platelet cyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) levels induced by prostaglandin E1 (p less than 0.02). Therefore, these studies demonstrate that inhibition of platelet phospholipid methylation, per se, has no discernable effect on the function of human platelets. The methylation pathway, though active in platelets, does not appear to be primarily involved in membrane events responsible for platelet activation.

Decreased transmethylation of biogenic amines after in vivo elevation of brain S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine.

The ability of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy) to inhibit biologic transmethylation reactions in vitro has led us to explore the possibility of pharmacologically manipulating AdoHcy levels in vivo and examining the consequences of these alterations on the transmethylation of some biogenic amines. Swiss-Webster mice were injected intraperitoneally with different doses of adenosine (Ado) and D, L-homocysteine thiolactone (Hcy) and were killed at various times thereafter. S-Adenosyl-methionine (AdoMet) and AdoHcy concentrations were determined by using a modified isotope dilution-ion exchange chromatography-high pressure liquid chromatography technique sensitive to less than 10 pmol. Increasing doses of Ado + Hcy (50-1000 mg/kg of each) produced a dose-related increase in blood, liver, and brain AdoHcy levels. At a dose level of 200 mg/kg Ado + Hcy, AdoHcy levels were markedly elevated, with minimal concomitant perturbations of AdoMet. This elevation was maximal 40 min after giving Ado + Hcy, returning to control values within 6 h. Ado + Hcy treatment resulted in decreased activities of catechol-O-methyltransferase, histamine-N-methyltransferase, and AdoHcy hydrolase in vitro. The cerebral catabolism of intraventricularly administered [(3)H]histamine (HA) was decreased in a dose-related manner by Ado + Hcy treatment as evidenced by higher amounts of nonutilized [(3)H]HA in brain, concurrent decreases in [(3)H]methylhistamine formation, and decreases in the transmethylation conversion index. Steady state levels of HA also showed dose-related increases after Ado + Hcy treatment. It is concluded that injections of Ado + Hcy can markedly elevate AdoHcy levels in vivo, which can, in turn, decrease the rate of transmethylation reactions.

S-Adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocystein metabolism in isolated rat liver. Effects of L-methionine, L-homocystein, and adenosine.

The effects of varying concentrations of L-methionine, L-homocysteine, and adenosine on the tissue levels of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and S-adenosyl-homocystein (AdoHcy) were investigated in perfused liver. In the normal liver, the intracellular concentration of AdoMet was dependent upon the availability of methionine. In the presence of high concentrations of methionine the maximum level of AdoMet attainable was 300 nmol/g of liver. The exogenous concentration of methionine did not alter the hepatic concentration of AdoHcy (8 to 20 nmol/g) while adenosine or homocysteine blocked hydrolysis of AdoHcy resulting in elevated levels of AdoHcy (400 to 600 nmol/g) and AdoMet (300 to 600 nmol/g). The addition of both adenosine (4mM) and homocysteine (3.4 mM) to the perfusate further increased the levels of AdoHcy (4 mumol/g) and AdoMet (1.2 mumol/g). As the concentration of AdoHcy increased, significant amounts of this compound were released into the perfusate, while AdoMet was not detected. Under all conditions where AdoHcy accumulated in the cell, a concomitant increase in the AdoMet level occurred. Apparently AdoHcy acts as a positive effector of the S-adenosylmethionine synthase. The hepatocytes did not take up significant amounts of [methyl-14C]AdoMet from the perfusate nor were any [14C]methyl groups from this compound incorporated into histones, DNA, or phospholipids. In contrast, [14C]methyl groups were readily incorporated into these macromolecules from exogenous [methyl-14C]methionine. The addition of adenosine (4 mM) and homocystein (3.4 mM) shifted the AdoMet:AdoHcy ratio from 8.2 to 0.3. Under these conditions, transmethylation was inhibited markedly.

Modulation of cyclic AMP metabolism by S-adenosylhomocysteine and S-3-deazaadenosylhomocysteine in mouse lymphocytes.

Mouse lymphocytes incubated with micromolar concentrations of adenosine or 3-deazaadenosine, in medium supplemented with L-homocysteine, rapidly accumulated supramillimolar concentrations of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) or S-3-deazaadenosylhomocysteine (c3AdoHcy), respectively. Lymphocytes thus preloaded with high levels of AdoHcy or c3AdoHcy exhibited markedly enhanced (5- to 40-fold) cyclic AMP responses to prostaglandin E1, adenosine, 2-chloroadenosine, isoproterenol, and cholera toxin. This enhancement of cyclic AMP response by intracellular AdoHcy or c3AdoHcy was attributable both to amplification of the activity of adenylate cyclase [ATP pyrophosphate-lyase (cyclizing), EC 4.6.1.1] and to inhibition of cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase (3',5'-cyclic-nucleotide 5'-nucleotidohydrolase, EC 3.1.4.17). Basal and prostaglandin E1- and isoproterenol-stimulated activities of adenylate cyclase, assayed in lymphocyte homogenates, were increased 1.3- to 2.0-fold after treatment of the cells with homocysteine plus either adenosine or 3-deazaadenosine. AdoHcy and c3AdoHcy were found to be competitive inhibitors (with Ki values of 1.7 and 4.8 mM, respectively) of the high-affinity cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase present in lymphocyte homogenates. It is evident, therefore, that increased cellular levels of AdoHcy or c3AdoHcy can affect cellular physiology via perturbation of cyclic AMP metabolism as well as via inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation reactions.

Inhibition of Methylation by Adenosine in Adenosine Deaminase-Inhibited, Phytohemagglutinin-Stimulated Human Lymphocytes

Abstract Adenosine toxicity was studied in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated, normal human, peripheral lymphocytes in order to determine whether inhibition of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-mediated transmethylation reactions might contribute to the immune defect associated with heritable deficiency of the enzyme adenosine deaminase (ADA). Cells were treated with 20 µM erythro-9-(2-hydroxy-3-nonyl)adenine to inhibit ADA and with 20 µM uridine to prevent the pyrimidine starvation known to be caused by adenosine in this system. The further addition of 25 to 100 µM adenosine inhibited the uptake of radiolabeled thymidine and leucine into acid precipitable material, and also increased intracellular levels of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) from 3- to 8-fold. The formation in these experiments of AdoHcy, a potent inhibitor of AdoMet-mediated transmethylation reactions, presumably occurs through the action of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase. Although the physiologic function of this enzyme is to hydrolyze AdoHcy, the reversibility of the reaction and an equilibrium constant favoring synthesis allow net synthesis of AdoHcy under conditions of adenosine excess. Inclusion of 100 to 200 µM L-homocysteine thiolactone in our experiments enhanced AdoHcy accumulation and also potentiated the inhibitory effects of adenosine on radiolabeled thymidine and leucine uptake. Cytotoxic concentrations of adenosine also caused significant inhibition of in vivo DNA methylation, a process known to be AdoMet-mediated, and a good correlation between this effect and AdoHcy levels was noted. These findings indicate that adenosine toxicity in cultured human lymphocytes is at least in part due to AdoHcy accumulation and resultant inhibition of essential AdoMet-mediated methylation reactions. The relevance of these findings to the pathogenesis of the immune defect in ADA-deficient patients is not established but deserves consideration.

Relationship between tissue levels of S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine, and transmethylation reactions

The concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy), and various methyltransferases were determined in the cerebrum, cerebellum, and liver of rats during development and aging. The liver contained from 3 to 7 and from 10 to 15 nmol AdoHcy per gram in young and adult rats, respectively. The AdoMet concentration was 60 to 90 nmol/g liver from rats of the same age and sex. It did not vary significantly with age. In the brain the AdoMet concentration was 45 to 50 nmol/g at birth and decreased to 20 nmol/ g tissue with maturity of the organ. The level of AdoHcy in this organ was less than 1 nmol/g tissue throughout the life-span of the rat. Since the ratio of AdoMet to AdoHcy is relatively high, the rate of methylation of histones, DNA, or phosphatidylethanolamine in the liver or brain was not significantly influenced by AdoHcy. Under normal nutritional conditions, the tissue concentration of AdoMet is far above the Km values of histone and phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferases. The levels of activity of these enzymes in liver and brain did not correlated with the cellular concentration of AdoHcy. Thi histone methyltransferase activity was elevated in rapidly proliferating tissues and declined markedly in the absence of histone biosynthesis. Phosphatidylethanolamine methyltransferase activity was elevated during development of the liver. The specific activity of the AdoHcy hydrolase remained relatively constant in the rat brain and liver. The activity of this enzyme was 10 times higher in liver than in brain, yet the concentration of AdoHcy was much lower in the latter organ. The tissue levels of this compound are evidently dependent on the rates of removal of homocysteine and adenosine. Adenosine deaminase was present in the liver and brain at relatively high concentrations, particularly during development.

S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine in brain

Administration of methionine sulfoximine (MSO) to rats and mice significantly decreased cerebral levels ofS-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy). Concurrent administration of methionine prevented this decrease and, when methionine was given alone, significantly elevated AdoHcy levels resulted in both species. Regionally, AdoHcy levels varied from 20 nmol/g in rat cerebellum and spinal cord to about 60 nmol/g in hypothalamus and midbrain. MSO decreased AdoHcy in all regions tested except striatum, midbrain, and spinal cord. AdoMet/AdoHcy ratios (methylation index) varied from 0.48 in hypothalamus to 2.4 in cerebellum, and MSO administration decreased these ratios in all regions except hypothalamus. AdoHcy hydrolase activity was lowest in hypothalamus, highest in brainstem and, generally, varied inversely with regional AdoHcy levels. MSO decreased AdoHcy hydrolase activity in all regions except hypothalamus and spinal cord. Cycloleucine administration resulted in significantly decreased levels of mouse brain AdoHcy, whereas the administration of dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) failed to affect AdoHcy levels. It is concluded that (a) cerebral AdoHcy levels are more tightly regulated than are those of AdoMet after MSO administration, (b) slight fluctuations of AdoHcy levels may be important in regulating AdoHcy hydrolase activity and hence AdoHcy catabolism in vivo, (c) the AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio reflects the absolute AdoMet concentration rather than the transmethylation flux, (d) the decreased AdoMet levels in midbrain, cortex, and striatum after MSO with no corresponding decrease in AdoHcy suggest an enhanced AdoMet utilization, hence an increased transmethylation in the MSO preconvulsant state.