title: Methanethiol and dimethylsulfide formation from 3-methylthiopropionate in human and rat hepatocytes.
abstract: This study was designed to investigate the metabolism of methanethiol, and the involvement of methanethiol and its metabolites in the transamination pathway of methionine. Gaseous methanethiol, methanethiol-mixed disulfides and dimethylsulfide were formed from 3-methylthiopropionate, a metabolite in the transamination pathway of methionine, during incubation with human and rat hepatocytes. An increase of the 3-methylthiopropionate concentration resulted in an increased formation of the products, up to a substrate concentration of 4.4 mM. Higher substrate levels resulted in a decreased methanethiol formation, probably due to poisoning of the system. However, in human hepatocytes the formation of dimethylsulfide increased up to a 3-methylthiopropionate concentration of 12.5 mM. The formation of methanethiol, dimethylsulfide and methanethiol-mixed disulfides from 3-methylthiopropionate in hepatocytes of both human and rat support the hypothesis that methanethiol can be formed from methionine via the transamination pathway.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Diseases, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Blom
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van den Elzen
authors.forename: S H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yap
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tangerman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D007700:Kinetics; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011422:Propionates / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D013440:Sulfides / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D011422:Propionates; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D013440:Sulfides; C005231:methylmercaptan; C017526:3-methylthiopropionate; C004784:dimethyl sulfide