Phenylethanolamine-N-Methyl Transferase May Control Methionine Demethylation
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-1984
Description
Rats fed diets which contained 15% of casein and 0.620% of methionine with 0.0002, 0.02 and 0.42% of dietary inorganic sulfate had a dietary sulfate-related change in methionine metabolism. Rats fed the diets low in sulfate (0.0002%) had a 35% increase in methionine metabolism compared to rats fed the diets high in sulfate (0.42%). In contrast, rats fed the diet low in sulfate (0.0002%) had the lowest level of tissue S-adenosyl-methionine and the highest activity of phenylethanolamine-N-methyltransferase activity. Those animals fed the diet normal with respect to sulfate (0.02%) had intermediate levels of S-adenosylmethionine and phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase activity. Rats fed the diet high in sulfate (0.42%) had the highest level of tissue S-adenosyl-methionine and the lowest phenylethanol-amine-N-methyl transferase activity. Due to the inverse relationship between S-adenosylmethionine and phenylethanolamine-N-methyl transferase activity, it appears that the catecholamines may function as a methyl sink for the increase in the metabolism of methionine required to provide sulfate for rats fed diets low in sulfate.
Citation Information
Smith, John T.; Acuff, Robert V.; and Loo, George. 1984. Phenylethanolamine-N-Methyl Transferase May Control Methionine Demethylation. Nutrition Research. Vol.4(1). 105-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0271-5317(84)80139-6 ISSN: 0271-5317