Response of the methionine synthase system to short-term culture with homocysteine and nitrous oxide and its relation to methionine dependence

Design, synthesis and biological activity of N5-substituted tetrahydropteroate analogs as non-classical antifolates against cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase and potential anticancer agents

Cobalamin-dependent methionine synthase (MetH) is involved in the process of tumor cell growth and survival. In this study, a novel series of N⁵-electrophilic substituted tetrahydropteroate analogs without glutamate residue were designed as non-classical antifolates and evaluated for their inhibitory activities against MetH. In addition, the cytotoxicity of target compounds was evaluated in human tumor cell lines. With N⁵-chloracetyl as the optimum group, further structure research on the benzene substituent and on the 2,4-diamino group was also performed. Compound 6c, with IC₅₀ value of 12.1 μM against MetH and 0.16-6.12 μM against five cancer cells, acted as competitive inhibitor of MetH. Flow cytometry studies indicated that compound 6c arrested HL-60 cells in the G₁-phase and then inducted late apoptosis. The molecular docking further explained the structure-activity relationship.

Hyperhomocysteinemia and the role of B vitamins in cancer

BACKGROUND

Patients suffering from malignancies have increased complications due to corresponding cardiovascular diseases and risk factor for the development of venous thromboembolism. Epidemiological studies have shown that increased homocysteine plasma concentration (hyperhomocysteinemia) is related to a higher risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, peripheral vascular disease and malignancies. Homocysteine (tHcy) is an intermediate sulfur-containing amino acid produced from methionine during processing of dietary proteins. The plasma homocysteine levels are strongly influenced by diet, as well as by genetic factors. Folic acid, vitamins B6 and B12 are dietary components which influence the plasma homocysteine levels the most. Several studies have found that high blood levels of B vitamins are related to the integrity and function of DNA, and, are at least related to lower concentration of homocysteine. Folate depletion has been found to change DNA methylation and DNA synthesis in both animal and human studies. Because of this critical role of folate, most studies including homocysteine have focused on these two actions.

CONCLUSIONS

Hyperhomocysteinemia proves to be the most common condition highly associated with both venous and arterial thrombosis in many cancer patients, while the associated pathophysiology has not been precisely established yet. Therefore, of current interest is the possible role of folate metabolism developing into a cancer initiating hyperhomocysteinemia. This review will discuss this possibility.

Methionine synthase activity and sulphur amino acid levels in the rat liver tumour cells HTC and Phi-1

Methionine dependence has been reported in tumour cells and suggested as a possible target for chemotherapeutic drugs. The underlying defect has not been extensively researched, nor have levels of sulphur amino acids been examined in these cells. This study compared two rat liver tumour cell lines. One was found to be methionine dependent (HTC) and the other found to be methionine independent (Phi-1). The methionine-dependent cell line (HTC) was discovered to contain markedly less methionine synthase activity, the enzyme activity being less responsive to methionine concentration than in the methionine-independent cells (Phi-1). HTC cells had lower cysteine requirements and contained larger concentrations of reduced glutathione (GSH) and taurine than the Phi-1 cells. Also, in contrast to Phi-1 cells, no glutathione was found in the media of the HTC cells, although large quantities of cysteinylglycine were detected. These results suggested that differences in methionine synthase activity might be partly responsible for methionine dependence and that methionine-dependent cells may have different metabolic requirements for other sulphur amino acids.

Disruption of a regulatory system involving cobalamin distribution and function in a methionine-dependent human glioma cell line

Cobalamin metabolism and function were investigated at the levels from transcobalamin II (TCII) receptor to the cobalamin-dependent enzymes, methionine synthase and methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, in a methionine-dependent (P60) and a methionine-independent (P60H) glioma cell line. Using P60H as reference, the P60 cells cultured in a methionine medium had slightly lower TCII receptor activity and normal total cobalamin content, a moderately reduced microsomal and mitochondrial cobalamin(III) reductase activity but only trace amounts of the methylcobalamin and adenosylcobalamin cofactors. When transferred to a homocysteine medium without methionine, P60H cells showed a slightly enhanced TCII receptor activity, but the other cobalamin-related functions were essentially unchanged. In contrast, the methionine-dependent P60 cells responded to homocysteine medium with a nearly 6-fold enhancement of TCII receptor expression and a doubling of both the hydroxycobalamin content and the microsomal reductase activity. The mitochondrial reductase and the cobalamin-related processes further down the pathway did not change markedly. In both cell lines, TCII receptor activity was further increased when growth in homocysteine medium was combined with N2O exposure. These data suggest that low methionine and/or high homocysteine exert a positive feedback control on TCII receptor activity. The concurrent increase in hydroxycobalamin content and in microsomal reductase activity are either subjected to similar regulation or secondary to increased cobalamin transport. This regulatory network is most prominent in the methionine-dependent P60 cells harboring a disruption of the network in the proximity of cobalamin(III) reductase.