Chemically induced model of hypermethioninemia in rats.
In the present study, we developed a chronic chemically induced model of hypermethioninemia in rats. We induced elevated concentrations of methionine in the blood by injecting subcutaneously methionine (1.34-2.68 micromol/g of body weight) to developing animals of various ages. Brain methionine concentrations were approximately 1.25 micromol/g wet tissue ( approximately 1.0mM). We then injected the same doses of methionine to young rats twice a day at 8h intervals from the 6(th) to the 28(th) postpartum day. Controls received saline in the same volumes. The body, brain and hippocampus of rats were weighed after treatment and showed that hypermethioninemic animals had no differences in these parameters, when compared to the control group, suggesting that methionine did not cause malnutrition in the rats. Considering that experimental animal models are useful to understand the pathophysiology of human disease, the present model of hypermethioninemia may contribute to the investigation of the mechanisms of brain damage caused by high tissue methionine levels.
Stefanello
Francieli M
FM
Departamento de Bioquímica, ICBS, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Anexo, CEP 90035-003 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
Matté
Cristiane
C
Scherer
Emilene B
EB
Wannmacher
Clovis M D
CM
Wajner
Moacir
M
Wyse
Angela T S
AT
D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006712:Homocystinuria / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008715:Methionine; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014018:Tissue Distribution
D008715:Methionine