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S‐adenosylmethionine and methylthioadenosine are antiapoptotic in cultured rat hepatocytes but proapoptotic in human hepatoma cells
Author(s) -
Ansorena Eduardo,
GarcíaTrevijano Elena R.,
MartínezChantar Maria L.,
Huang ZongZhi,
Chen Lixin,
Mato José M.,
Iraburu Maria,
Lu Shelly C.,
Avila Matías A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.488
H-Index - 361
eISSN - 1527-3350
pISSN - 0270-9139
DOI - 10.1053/jhep.2002.30419
Subject(s) - apoptosis , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , cancer research , pharmacology , biochemistry , biology
S‐adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) is an essential compound in cellular transmethylation reactions and a precursor of polyamine and glutathione synthesis in the liver. In liver injury, the synthesis of AdoMet is impaired and its availability limited. AdoMet administration attenuates experimental liver damage, improves survival of alcoholic patients with cirrhosis, and prevents experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. Apoptosis contributes to different liver injuries, many of which are protected by AdoMet. The mechanism of AdoMet's hepatoprotective and chemopreventive effects are largely unknown. The effect of AdoMet on okadaic acid (OA)‐induced apoptosis was evaluated using primary cultures of rat hepatocytes and human hepatoma cell lines. AdoMet protected rat hepatocytes from OA‐induced apoptosis dose dependently. It attenuated mitochondrial cytochrome c release, caspase 3 activation, and poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase cleavage. These effects were independent from AdoMet‐dependent glutathione synthesis, and mimicked by 5'‐methylthioadenosine (MTA), which is derived from AdoMet. Interestingly, AdoMet and MTA did not protect HuH7 cells from OA‐induced apoptosis; conversely both compounds behaved as proapoptotic agents. AdoMet's proapoptotic effect was dose dependent and observed also in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, AdoMet exerts opposing effects on apoptosis in normal versus transformed hepatocytes that could be mediated through its conversion to MTA. These effects may participate in the hepatoprotective and chemopreventive properties of this safe and well‐tolerated drug.