Nutrition
Volume 26, Issue 1 , Pages 112-119, January 2010

Docosahexaenoic acid decreases plasma homocysteine via regulating enzyme activity and mRNA expression involved in methionine metabolism

  • Tao Huang, B.Sc.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
    • APCNS Centre of Nutrition and Food Safety, Hangzhou, China
  • ,
  • Mark L. Wahlqvist, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
    • APCNS Centre of Nutrition and Food Safety, Hangzhou, China
    • National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan
  • ,
  • Duo Li, Ph.D.

      Affiliations

    • Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
    • APCNS Centre of Nutrition and Food Safety, Hangzhou, China
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author: Tel./fax: +86-571-8697-1024.

Received 13 June 2008; accepted 18 May 2009. published online 08 October 2009.

Abstract 

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the regulatory effect of fish oil rich in ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) on critical enzyme activity and mRNA expression involved in homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism.

Methods

Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 3 wk, weighing 120 ± 10 g, were randomly divided into three groups: the olive oil (OO) group, the tuna oil (TO) group, and the salmon oil (SO) group. The oil was orally administered every day using a stomach tube. Eight weeks later, plasma Hcy, phospholipids, ω-3 PUFAs, enzyme activity, and mRNA expression in tissues were determined.

Results

Compared with the control group, phospholipids, total ω-3 PUFAs, and ω-3/ω-6 PUFAs in the liver and lung were significantly elevated in the TO and SO groups; 22:6ω-3 in the liver and lung was significantly increased in the TO group; and 20:5ω-3 in the two tissues was significantly elevated in the SO group. The level of plasma Hcy was significantly decreased with TO; methionine adenosyl transferase (MAT) activity was significantly increased and MAT mRNA expression was significantly upregulated with TO; cystathionine-γ-lyase mRNA expression in TO was significantly upregulated; however, cystathionine β-synthase and S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolases were not significantly changed when compared with control.

Conclusion

TO rich in 22:6ω-3 decreases the concentration of Hcy despite increasing MAT activity and upregulating MAT mRNA expression through compensatory cystathionine-γ-lyase mRNA expression, both of which are involved in Hcy metabolism.

Keywords: Fish oil, Gene expression, Methionine adenosyltransferase, Cystathionine β-synthase, Cystathionine-γ-lyase, S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase, Hydrogen sulfide

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PII: S0899-9007(09)00236-6

doi:10.1016/j.nut.2009.05.015

Nutrition
Volume 26, Issue 1 , Pages 112-119, January 2010