6533b82ffe1ef96bd129486f

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Liver intracellular L-cysteine concentration is maintained after inhibition of the trans-sulfuration pathway by propargylglycine in rats.

subject

description

To study the fate ofl-cysteine and amino acid homeostasis in liver after the inhibition of the trans-sulfuration pathway, rats were treated with propargylglycine (PPG). At 4 h after the administration of PPG, liver cystathionase (EC4.4.1.1) activity was undetectable,l-cystathionine levels were significantly higher,l-cysteine was unchanged and GSH concentration was significantly lower than values found in livers from control rats injected intraperitoneally with 0.15 M-NaCl. The hepatic levels of amino acids that are intermediates of the urea cycle,l-ornithine,l-citrulline andl-arginine and blood urea were significantly greater. Urea excretion was also higher in PPG-treated rats when compared with control rats. These data suggest a stimulation of ureagenesis in PPG-treated rats. The inhibition of γ-cystathionase was reflected in the blood levels of amino acids, because the L-methionine:l-cyst(e)ine ratio was significantly higher in PPG-treated rats than in control rats; blood concentration of cystathionine was also greater. Histological examination of liver and kidney showed no changes in PPG-treated rats when compared with controls. The administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) to PPG-treated rats reversed the changes in blood urea and in liver GSH. These data suggest that when liverl-cysteine production was impaired by the blockage of the trans-sulfuration pathway, the concentration of this amino acid was maintained mainly by an increase in protein degradation and by a depletion in GSH concentration that may sparel-cysteine.