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Gurugubelli KR, Ballambattu VB. Perspectives on folate with special reference to epigenetics and neural tube defects. Reprod Toxicol 2024; 125:108576. [PMID: 38479591 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2024.108576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
Folate is a micronutrient essential for DNA synthesis, cell division, fetal growth and development. Folate deficiency leads to genomic instability. Inadequate intake of folate during conception may lead to neural tube defects (NTDs) in the offspring. Folate influences the DNA methylation, histone methylation and homocysteine mediated gene methylation. DNA methylation influences the expression of microRNAs (miRNAs). Folate deficiency may be associated with miRNAs misregulation leading to NTDs. Mitochondrial epigenetics and folate metabolism has proved to be involved in embryogenesis and neural tube development. Folate related genetic variants also cause the occurrence of NTDs. Unmetabolized excessive folate may affect health adversely. Hence estimation of folate levels in the blood plays an important role in high-risk cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Rao Gurugubelli
- Department of Biochemistry, Andhra Medical College (AMC), Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Vishnu Bhat Ballambattu
- Aarupadai Veedu Medical College & Hospital (AVMC & H), Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (DU), Kirumambakkam, Puducherry, India.
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2
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Wyse ATS, Bobermin LD, Dos Santos TM, Quincozes-Santos A. Homocysteine and Gliotoxicity. Neurotox Res 2021; 39:966-974. [PMID: 33786757 DOI: 10.1007/s12640-021-00359-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Homocysteine is a sulfur amino acid that does not occur in the diet, but it is an essential intermediate in normal mammalian metabolism of methionine. Hyperhomocysteinemia results from dietary intakes of Met, folate, and vitamin B12 and lifestyle or from the deficiency of specific enzymes, leading to tissue accumulation of this amino acid and/or its metabolites. Severe hyperhomocysteinemic patients can present neurological symptoms and structural brain abnormalities, of which the pathogenesis is poorly understood. Moreover, a possible link between homocysteine (mild hyperhomocysteinemia) and neurodegenerative/neuropsychiatric disorders has been suggested. In recent years, increasing evidence has emerged suggesting that astrocyte dysfunction is involved in the neurotoxicity of homocysteine and possibly associated with the physiopathology of hyperhomocysteinemia. This review addresses some of the findings obtained from in vivo and in vitro experimental models, indicating high homocysteine levels as an important neurotoxin determinant of the neuropathophysiology of brain damage. Recent data show that this amino acid impairs glutamate uptake, redox/mitochondrial homeostasis, inflammatory response, and cell signaling pathways. Therefore, the discussion of this review focuses on homocysteine-induced gliotoxicity, and its impacts in the brain functions. Through understanding the Hcy-induced gliotoxicity, novel preventive/therapeutic strategies might emerge for these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela T S Wyse
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Larissa Daniele Bobermin
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tiago Marcon Dos Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - André Quincozes-Santos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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3
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Robinson N, Grabowski P, Rehman I. Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis: Is there a role for folate? Mech Ageing Dev 2017; 174:86-94. [PMID: 29037490 DOI: 10.1016/j.mad.2017.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2017] [Revised: 10/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, including changes in DNA methylation, have been implicated in a wide range of diseases including neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's. The role of dietary folate in providing methyl groups required for maintenance and modulation of DNA methylation makes it a nutrient of interest in Alzheimer's. Late onset Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia and at present its aetiology is largely undetermined. From epidemiological studies, the interactions between folate, B-vitamins and homocysteine as well as the long latency period has led to difficulties in interpretation of the data, thus current evidence exploring the role of dietary folate in Alzheimer's is contradictory and unresolved. Therefore, examining the effects at a molecular level and exploring potential epigenetic mechanisms could increase our understanding of the disease and aetiology. The aim of this review is to examine the role that folate could play in Alzheimer's disease neuropathology and will focus on the effects of folate on DNA methylation which link to disease pathology, initiation and progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natassia Robinson
- Institute of Health & Society, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
| | - Peter Grabowski
- Human Nutrition Unit, Department of Oncology & Metabolism, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
| | - Ishtiaq Rehman
- Academic Urology Unit, Department of Oncology and Metabolism, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom
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Weng Q, Wang J, Wang J, Tan B, Wang J, Wang H, Zheng T, Lu QR, Yang B, He Q. Folate Metabolism Regulates Oligodendrocyte Survival and Differentiation by Modulating AMPKα Activity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:1705. [PMID: 28496133 PMCID: PMC5431811 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-01732-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2016] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Folate, an essential micronutrient, is a critical cofactor in one-carbon metabolism for many cellular pathways including DNA synthesis, metabolism and maintenance. Folate deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of neurological disease, cancer and cognitive dysfunction. Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) is a key enzyme to regulate folate metabolism, however folate/DHFR activity in oligodendrocyte development has not been fully understood. Here we show that folate enhances oligodendrocyte maturation both in vitro and in vivo, which is accompanied with upregulation of oligodendrocyte-specific DHFR expression. On the other hand, pharmacological inhibition of DHFR by methotrexate (MTX) causes severe defects in oligodendrocyte survival and differentiation, which could be reversed by folate intake. We further demonstrate that folate activates a metabolic regulator AMPKα to promote oligodendrocyte survival and differentiation. Moreover, activation of AMPKα partially rescues oligodendrocyte defects caused by DHFR-inhibition both in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these findings identify a previously uncharacterized role of folate/DHFR/AMPKα axis in regulating oligodendrocyte survival and myelination during CNS development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinjie Weng
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Center for drug safety Evaluation and Research, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiajia Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiaying Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Biqin Tan
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Haibo Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, Brain Tumor Center, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
| | - Tao Zheng
- School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, West China Second Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Q Richard Lu
- Department of Pediatrics, Brain Tumor Center, Cancer and Blood Disease Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH, USA
| | - Bo Yang
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Qiaojun He
- Institute of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. .,Center for drug safety Evaluation and Research, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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5
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Low and high dietary folic acid levels perturb postnatal cerebellar morphology in growing rats. Br J Nutr 2017; 115:1967-77. [PMID: 27153204 DOI: 10.1017/s0007114516001008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The brain is particularly sensitive to folate metabolic disturbances, because methyl groups are critical for brain functions. This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary levels of folic acid (FA) on postnatal cerebellar morphology, including the architecture and organisation of the various layers. A total of forty male OFA rats (a Sprague-Dawley strain), 5 weeks old, were classified into the following four dietary groups: FA deficient (0 mg/kg FA); FA supplemented (8 mg/kg FA); FA supra-supplemented (40 mg/kg FA); and control (2 mg/kg FA) (all n 10 per group). Rats were fed ad libitum for 30 d. The cerebellum was quickly removed and processed for histological and immunohistochemical analysis. Slides were immunostained for glial fibrillary acidic protein (to label Bergmann glia), calbindin (to label Purkinje cells) and NeuN (to label post-mitotic neurons). Microscopic analysis revealed two types of defect: partial disappearance of fissures and/or neuronal ectopia, primarily in supra-supplemented animals (incidence of 80 %, P≤0·01), but also in deficient and supplemented groups (incidence of 40 %, P≤0·05), compared with control animals. The primary fissure was predominantly affected, sometimes accompanied by defects in the secondary fissure. Our findings show that growing rats fed an FA-modified diet, including both deficient and supplemented diets, have an increased risk of disturbances in cerebellar corticogenesis. Defects caused by these diets may have functional consequences in later life. The present study is the first to demonstrate that cerebellar morphological defects can arise from deficient, as well as high, FA levels in the diet.
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Miller CN, Rayalam S. The role of micronutrients in the response to ambient air pollutants: Potential mechanisms and suggestions for research design. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2017; 20:38-53. [PMID: 28145849 PMCID: PMC6130895 DOI: 10.1080/10937404.2016.1261746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
People living in regions of low socioeconomic status are thought to be prone to higher exposures to environmental pollutants, poor nutrition, and numerous preventable diseases and infections. Poverty correlates with pollution and malnutrition; however, limited studies examined their interrelationship. The well-studied, deleterious health effects attributed to environmental pollutants and poor nutrition may act in combination with produce more severe adverse health outcomes than any one factor alone. Deficiencies in specific nutrients render the body more susceptible to injury which may influence the pathways that serve as the mechanistic responses to ambient air pollutants. This review (1) explores specific micronutrients that are of global concern, (2) explains how these nutrients may impact the body's response to ambient air pollution, and (3) provides guidance on designing animal models of nutritional deficiency. It is likely that those individuals who reside in regions of high ambient air pollution are similarly malnourished. Therefore, it is important that research identifies specific nutrients of concern and their impact in identified regions of high ambient air pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colette N. Miller
- National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Environmental Public Health Division, US Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - Srujana Rayalam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Suwanee, GA, USA
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Deng X, Guo Y, Tian C, Liu J, Wang X, Zhang Z. Design, synthesis and activities of aziridine derivatives of N5-methyltetrahydrofolate against methionine synthase. Chem Res Chin Univ 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s40242-015-5194-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Mandaviya PR, Stolk L, Heil SG. Homocysteine and DNA methylation: a review of animal and human literature. Mol Genet Metab 2014; 113:243-52. [PMID: 25456744 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymgme.2014.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 10/04/2014] [Accepted: 10/04/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur-containing non-protein forming amino acid, which is synthesized from methionine as an important intermediate in the one-carbon pathway. High concentrations of Hcy in a condition called hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) are an independent risk factor for several disorders including cardiovascular diseases and osteoporotic fractures. Since Hcy is produced as a byproduct of the methyltransferase reaction, alteration in DNA methylation is studied as one of the underlying mechanisms of HHcy-associated disorders. In animal models, elevated Hcy concentrations are induced either by diet (high methionine, low B-vitamins, or both), gene knockouts (Mthfr, Cbs, Mtrr or Mtr) or combination of both to investigate their effects on DNA methylation or its markers. In humans, most of the literature involves case-control studies concerning patients. The focus of this review is to study existing literature on HHcy and its role in relation to DNA methylation. Apart from this, a few studies investigated the effect of Hcy-lowering trials on restoring DNA methylation patterns, by giving a folic acid or B-vitamin supplemented diet. These studies which were conducted in animal models as well as humans were included in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja R Mandaviya
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Lisette Stolk
- Department of Internal Medicine, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
| | - Sandra G Heil
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
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Maestro-de-las-Casas C, Pérez-Miguelsanz J, López-Gordillo Y, Maldonado E, Partearroyo T, Varela-Moreiras G, Martínez-Álvarez C. Maternal folic acid-deficient diet causes congenital malformations in the mouse eye. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014; 97:587-96. [PMID: 24078476 DOI: 10.1002/bdra.23176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2013] [Revised: 07/13/2013] [Accepted: 07/29/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The eye is a very complex structure derived from the neural tube, surface ectoderm, and migratory mesenchyme from a neural crest origin. Because structures that evolve from the neural tube may be affected by a folate/folic acid (FA) deficiency, the aim of this work was to investigate whether a maternal folic acid-deficient diet may cause developmental alterations in the mouse eye. METHODS Female C57BL/6J mice (8 weeks old) were assigned into two different folic acid groups for periods ranging between 2 and 16 weeks. Animals were killed at gestation day 17. Hepatic folate was analyzed, and the eyes from 287 fetuses were macroscopically studied, sectioned and immunolabeled with anti-transforming growth factor (TGF)-β2 and anti-TGF-βRII. RESULTS Mice exposed to a FA-deficient diet exhibited numerous eye macroscopic anomalies, such as anophthalmia and microphthalmia. Microscopically, the eye was the most affected organ (43.7% of the fetuses). The highest incidence of malformations occurred from the 8th week onward. A statistically significant linear association between the number of maternal weeks on the FA-deficient diet and embryonic microscopic eye malformations was observed. The optic cup derivatives and structures forming the eye anterior segment showed severe abnormalities. In addition, TGF-β2 and TGF-βRII expression in the eye was also altered. CONCLUSION This study suggests that an adequate folic acid/folate status plays a key role in the formation of ocular tissues and structures, whereas a vitamin deficiency is negatively associated with a normal eye development even after a short-term exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen Maestro-de-las-Casas
- Departamento de Anatomía y Embriología Humana I. Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Maternal exposure to fluoxetine during gestation and lactation affects the DNA methylation programming of rat's offspring: modulation by folic acid supplementation. Behav Brain Res 2014; 265:142-7. [PMID: 24583191 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2014.02.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fluoxetine is an antidepressant that has been largely used for treatment of depression in pregnancy. In the present study we evaluated the effects of the exposure to fluoxetine during gestation and lactation on DNA methylation of rat brain regions. Female Wistar rats were treated with 5mg/kg of fluoxetine during pregnancy and lactation. In order to assess the effects of fluoxetine in the context of maternal folic acid supplementation we performed an additional combined treatment composed by folic acid (8 mg/kg/day) and fluoxetine (5 mg/kg/day). On the postnatal day 22, male rats were euthanized and hippocampus, cortex, hypothalamus, and periaqueductal gray area were removed. Global DNA methylation was quantified using a high-throughput ELISA-based method. Neurofunctional changes were addressed using validated behavioral tests: hot plate, elevated plus maze and open field. A decrease in the global DNA methylation profile of hippocampus was associated to the exposure to fluoxetine, whereas an increase in methylation was observed in cortex. The combined treatment induced an increase in the methylation of hippocampus indicating the potential of folic acid to modulate this epigenetic alteration. Increase in the latency to the thermal nociceptive response was observed in animals exposed to fluoxetine whereas this effect was abolished in animals from the combined treatment. In summary we demonstrated that exposure to fluoxetine during gestation and lactation affect the DNA methylation of brain and the nociceptive response of rats. Furthermore our data reveal the potential of folic acid to modulate epigenetic and functional changes induced by early exposure to fluoxetine.
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Zheng M, Zhang M, Yang J, Zhao S, Qin S, Chen H, Gao Y, Huang G. Relationship between blood levels of methyl donor and folate and mild cognitive impairment in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes: a case-control study. J Clin Biochem Nutr 2014; 54:122-8. [PMID: 24688222 PMCID: PMC3947971 DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.13-89] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2013] [Accepted: 11/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease and mild cognitive impairment. Folate insufficiency fosters a decline in the sole methyl donor, S-adenosylmethionine, and decreases methylation potential, which is associated with Alzheimer’s disease in non-diabetic patients. However, little is known in diabetic patients. We analyzed plasma levels of S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine and serum level of folate in 100 elderly type 2 diabetic patients with and without mild cognitive impairment. S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio was used to reflect the methylation potential. Patients with mild cognitive impairment had significantly lower levels of S-adenosylmethionine, folate and S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteineratios. Furthermore, logistic regression analysis indicated the plasma S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio and serum folate (OR, 0.96, 0.698, 0.72, respectively; p<0.05) were negatively associated with risk of mild cognitive impairment, even after adjusting for related covariates. In addition, folate level was positively correlated with S-adenosylmethionine and the S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio (r = 0.38, 0.46, respectively; p<0.05) among patients within the middle tertile of folate levels (6.3–9.1 µg/L). These findings indicate mild cognitive impairment is associated with lower levels of S-adenosylmethionine, folate and weakened methylation potential; plasma S-adenosylmethionine and methylation potential may be predicted by serum folate within a suitable range of folate concentrations in diabetic patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaoyan Zheng
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China ; Department of Endocrinology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, The Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development (Ministry of Health), Metabolic Diseases Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Meilin Zhang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Juhong Yang
- Department of Endocrinology, 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, The Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development (Ministry of Health), Metabolic Diseases Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Shijing Zhao
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Shanchun Qin
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Hui Chen
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
| | - Yuxia Gao
- Department of Cardiology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China
| | - Guowei Huang
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, 22 Qixiangtai, Road, Heping District, Tianjin 300070, China
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Elshihawy H, Helal MA, Said M, Hammad MA. Design, synthesis, and enzyme kinetics of novel benzimidazole and quinoxaline derivatives as methionine synthase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2013; 22:550-8. [PMID: 24268539 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.10.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Revised: 10/19/2013] [Accepted: 10/29/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Methionine synthase catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from 5-methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine, producing methionine and tetrahydrofolate. Benzimidazole and deazatetrahydrofolates derivatives have been shown to inhibit methionine synthase by competing with the substrate 5-methyltetrahydrofolate. In this study, a novel series of substituted benzimidazoles and quinoxalines were designed and assessed for inhibitory activity against purified rat liver methionine synthase using a radiometric enzyme assay. Compounds 3g, 3j, and 5c showed the highest activity against methionine synthase (IC₅₀: 20 μM, 18 μM, 9 μM, respectively). Kinetic analysis of these compounds using Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed characteristics of mixed inhibition for 3g and 5c; and uncompetitive inhibition for 3j. Docking study into a homology model of the rat methionine synthase gave insights into the molecular determinants of the activity of this class of compounds. The identification of these drug-like inhibitors could lead the design of the next generation modulators of methionine synthase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosam Elshihawy
- Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A Helal
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Said
- Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Mohamed A Hammad
- Eli & Edythe Broad CIRM Center for Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, 1425 San Pablo Street, BCC 505, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA.
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13
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Abarinov EV, Beaudin AE, Field MS, Perry CA, Allen RH, Stabler SP, Stover PJ. Disruption of shmt1 impairs hippocampal neurogenesis and mnemonic function in mice. J Nutr 2013; 143:1028-35. [PMID: 23700346 PMCID: PMC3681542 DOI: 10.3945/jn.113.174417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Impaired folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism (OCM) has emerged as a risk factor for several diseases associated with age-related cognitive decline, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown and thus hinder the identification of subpopulations most vulnerable to OCM disruption. Here we investigated the role of serine hydroxymethyltransferase 1 (SHMT1), a folate-dependent enzyme regulating de novo thymidylate biosynthesis, in influencing neuronal and cognitive function in the adult mouse. We observed Shmt1 expression in the hippocampus, including the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus (DG), and examined hippocampal neurogenesis and hippocampal-dependent fear conditioning in mice deficient for Shmt1. We used a 3 × 3 design in which adult male Shmt1(+/+), Shmt1(+/-), and Shmt1(-/-) mice were fed folic acid control (2 mg/kg), folic acid-deficient (0 mg/kg), or folic acid-supplemented (8 mg/kg) diets from weaning through the duration of the study. Proliferation within the DG was elevated by 70% in Shmt1(+/-) mice, yet the number of newborn mature neurons was reduced by 98% compared with that in Shmt1(+/+) mice. Concomitant with these alterations, Shmt1(+/-) mice showed a 45% reduction in mnemonic recall during trace fear conditioning. Dietary folate manipulations alone did not influence neural outcomes. Together, these data identify SHMT1 as one of the first enzymes within the OCM pathway to regulate neuronal and cognitive profiles and implicate impaired thymidylate biosynthesis in the etiology of folate-related neuropathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena V. Abarinov
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and
| | - Anna E. Beaudin
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and
| | - Martha S. Field
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and
| | - Cheryll A. Perry
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and
| | - Robert H. Allen
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO
| | - Sally P. Stabler
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Aurora, CO
| | - Patrick J. Stover
- Division of Nutritional Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; and,To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail:
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