title: Nutrition and health relevant regulation of intestinal sulfur amino acid metabolism.
abstract: Sulfur amino acids (SAA), particularly methionine and cysteine, are critical for the gut to maintain its functions including the digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients, the immune surveillance of the intestinal epithelial layer and regulation of the mucosal response to foreign antigens. However, the metabolism of SAA in the gut, specifically the transmethylation of methionine, will result in a net release of homocysteine, which is shown to be associated with cardiovascular disease and stroke. Furthermore, the extensive catabolism of dietary methionine by the intestine or by luminal microbes may result in a decrease in nutritional efficiency. Therefore, the regulation of SAA metabolism in the gut is not only nutritionally relevant, but also relevant to the overall health and well-being. The superiority of DL-2-hydroxy-4-methylthiobutyrate to DL-methionine in decreasing homocysteine production, alleviating stress responses, and reducing the first-pass intestinal metabolism of dietary methionine may provide a promising implication for nutritional strategies to manipulate SAA metabolism and thus to improve the nutrition and health status of animals and perhaps humans.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Ya'an, 625014, People's Republic of Chin., fangzhengfeng@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Zhengfeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Kang
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Xiaoling
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shengjun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhihong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Biquan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Keying
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Daiwen
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: De
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000603:Amino Acids, Sulfur / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment
chemical_list: D000603:Amino Acids, Sulfur