<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHC), both basal and after methionine load, may occur due to genetic disorders or deficiencies of nutrients that affect the remethylation or trans-sulphuration pathways during methionine metabolism. HHC is involved in the pathogenesis of many illnesses as a result of its prooxidative effect and its impairment of antioxidative protection. The aim was to examine the effects of subchronic methionine overload on the body weight and standard biochemical parameters in rat serum and to examine whether simultaneous subchronic intraperotoneal administration of methionine alone or together with L-cysteine or N-acetyl-cysteine resulted in a change in the body weight and biochemical parameters in the rat serum. The research was conducted during a three-week period (male Wistar albino rats, n=36, body weight of approximately 160 g, age of 15-20 days), and the animals were divided into a control group and three experimental groups of 8-10 animals each: a) control group (0.9% sodium chloride 0.1-0.2 ml/day); b) methionine (0.8 mmol/kg/bw/day) (MET group); c) methionine (0.8 mmol/kg/bw/day) + L-cysteine (7 mg/kg/bw/day) (L-cys+MET group); and d) methionine (0.8 mmol/kg/bw/day) + N-acetyl-L-cysteine (50 mg/kg/bw/day) (NAC+MET group). In addition to the body weight monitoring, the levels of total homocysteine and the standard biochemical parameters in blood samples (plasma or serum) were determined. The results indicated that monitoring the homocysteine levels and standard biochemical parameters in blood could be used for analysis and could provide an excellent guideline for distinguishing between toxic and non-toxic doses of methionine intake, which may be meaningful for clinical applications.</p></abstract>

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHC), both basal and after methionine load, may occur due to genetic disorders or deficiencies of nutrients that affect the remethylation or trans-sulphuration pathways during methionine metabolism. HHC is involved in the pathogenesis of many illnesses as a result of its prooxidative effect and its impairment of antioxidative protection. The aim was to examine the effects of subchronic methionine overload on the body weight and standard biochemical parameters in rat serum and to examine whether simultaneous subchronic intraperotoneal administration of methionine alone or together with L-cysteine or N-acetyl-cysteine resulted in a change in the body weight and biochemical parameters in the rat serum. The research was conducted during a three-week period (male Wistar albino rats, n=36, body weight of approximately 160 g, age of 15-20 days), and the animals were divided into a control group and three experimental groups of 8-10 animals each: a) control group (0.9% sodium chloride 0.1-0.2 ml/day); b) methionine (0.8 mmol/kg/bw/day) (MET group); c) methionine (0.8 mmol/kg/bw/day) + L-cysteine (7 mg/kg/bw/day) (L-cys+MET group); and d) methionine (0.8 mmol/kg/bw/day) + N-acetyl-L-cysteine (50 mg/kg/bw/day) (NAC+MET group). In addition to the body weight monitoring, the levels of total homocysteine and the standard biochemical parameters in blood samples (plasma or serum) were determined. The results indicated that monitoring the homocysteine levels and standard biochemical parameters in blood could be used for analysis and could provide an excellent guideline for distinguishing between toxic and non-toxic doses of methionine intake, which may be meaningful for clinical applications.

The Effects of Subchronic Methionine Overload Administered Alone or Simultaneously with L-cysteine or N-acetyl-L-cysteine on Body Weight, Homocysteine Levels and Biochemical Parameters in the Blood of Male Wistar Rats

Military Health Department, Ministry of Defence, Belgrade,

Faculty of Biology, University of Belgrade,

Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Kragujevac,

Institute of Medical Physiology “Richard Burian”, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade,

Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade,

Centre of Medical Biochemistry, Clinical Centre of Serbia,

Department of Anaesthesiology, Reanimatology and Intensive Care Medicine, University Clinical Hospital Center “Dr Dragisa Misovic - Dedinje”, Belgrade,

Institute of Hygiene, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade,

Experimental and Applied Biomedical Research (EABR)

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHC), both basal and after methionine load, may occur due to genetic disorders or deficiencies of nutrients that affect the remethylation...

The Effects of Subchronic Methionine Overload Administered Alone or Simultaneously with L-cysteine or N-acetyl-L-cysteine on Body Weight, Homocysteine Levels and Biochemical Parameters in the Blood of Male Wistar Rats

Published Online: Sep 24, 2016

Page range: 215 - 224

Received: Feb 09, 2016

Accepted: Feb 12, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjecr-2016-0017

Keywords
methionine, L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, hyperhomocysteinemia, rat

© 2016 Zarko Micovic et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The Effects of Subchronic Methionine Overload Administered Alone or Simultaneously with L-cysteine or N-acetyl-L-cysteine on Body Weight, Homocysteine Levels and Biochemical Parameters in the Blood of Male Wistar Rats

Published Online: Sep 24, 2016

Page range: 215 - 224

Received: Feb 09, 2016

Accepted: Feb 12, 2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/sjecr-2016-0017

Keywordsmethionine, L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, hyperhomocysteinemia, rat

© 2016 Zarko Micovic et al., published by De Gruyter Open

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
methionine, L-cysteine, N-acetyl-L-cysteine, hyperhomocysteinemia, rat