Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Methionine synthase reductase (MSR) deficiency is an autosomal recessive disorder of folate/cobalamin metabolism leading to hyperhomocysteinemia, hypo- methioninemia and megaloblastic anemia. Deficiency in MSR activity occurs as the result of a defect in the MSR enzyme, which is required for the reductive activation of methionine synthase (MS). MS itself is responsible for the folate/cobalamin-dependent conversion of homo- cysteine to methionine. We have recently cloned the cDNA corresponding to the MSR protein, a novel member of the ferredoxin-NADP(+)reductase (FNR) family of electron transferases. We have used RT-PCR, heteroduplex, single-strand conformation poly- morphism (SSCP) and DNA sequence analyses to reveal 11 mutations in eight patients from seven families belonging to the cblE complementation group of patients of cobalamin metabolism that is defective in the MSR protein. The mutations include splicing defects leading to large insertions or deletions, as well as a number of smaller deletions and point mutations. Apart from an intronic substitution found in two unrelated patients, the mutations appear singular among individuals. Of the eleven, three are nonsense mutations, allowing for the identification of two patients for whom little if any MSR protein should be produced. The remaining eight involve point mutations or in-frame disruptions of the coding sequence and are distributed throughout the coding region, including proposed FMN, FAD and NADPH binding sites. These data demonstrate a unique requirement for MSR in the reductive activation of MS.
Hum Mol Genet 1999 Oct
PMID:Molecular basis for methionine synthase reductase deficiency in patients belonging to the cblE complementation group of disorders in folate/cobalamin metabolism. 1048 69

Atherosclerosis is the leading cause of death in North America. It is characterized by thickening of the coronary artery wall by the formation of plaques, resulting in reduced blood flow. Plaque rupture and the consequent thrombosis may lead to sudden blockage of arteries and causing stroke and heart attack. In the last several decades, more than 250 factors associated with the development of coronary artery disease have been identified. Recently, a relationship between atherosclerosis and elevated homocysteine level in the blood has been established. The mechanism for the production of atherosclerosis by homocysteine has been investigated. When human hepatoma cells (HepG2) were incubated with 4 mM homocysteine, enhancements in the production of cholesterol and secretion of apolipoprotein B-100 were observed. The stimulatory effect on cholesterol synthesis was mediated via the enhancement of HMG-CoA reductase, which catalyzes the rate-limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis. Cholesterol appears to play an important role in the regulation of apoB-100 secretion by hepatocytes. It is plausible that the increase in apoB secretion was caused by the elevated cholesterol level induced by homocysteine. The ability of homocysteine to produce a higher amount of cholesterol and promote the secretion of apoB would provide a plausible mechanism for the observed relationship between hyperhomocysteinemia and the development of atherogenesis and coronary artery disease.
Mol Cell Biochem 2000 Apr
PMID:Atherosclerosis risk factors: the possible role of homocysteine. 1088 40

Elevated homocysteine levels have been associated with arteriosclerosis and thrombosis. Hyperhomocysteinemia is caused by altered functioning of enzymes of its metabolism due to either inherited or acquired factors. Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) serves, next to methionine synthase, as a facilitator of methyl group donation for remethylation of homocysteine into methionine, and reduced functioning of BHMT could theoretically result in elevated homocysteine levels. Recently, the genomic sequence of the BHMT gene was published. Mutation analysis may reveal mutations of the BHMT gene that could lead to hyperhomocysteinemia. In the present study we performed genomic sequencing of the BHMT gene of 16 vascular patients with hyperhomocysteinemia and detected three mutations in the coding region of this gene. The first was an amino acid substitution of glycine to serine (G199S), which was found only in the heterozygous state. The second mutation was a substitution of glutamine to arginine (Q239R), and the last mutation was an amino acid substitution of glutamine to histidine (Q406H). The latter was also found only in the heterozygous state. The relevance of these mutations was tested in a study group, which consists of 190 cases with vascular disease and 601 controls. The influence of these three mutations on homocysteine levels was investigated. None of the three mutations led to significantly changed homocysteine levels. In addition, no differences in genotype distribution between cases and controls were found. So far, our results provide no evidence for a role of defective BHMT functioning in hyperhomocysteinemia or subsequently in vascular disease.
Mol Genet Metab 2000 Nov
PMID:Betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT): genomic sequencing and relevance to hyperhomocysteinemia and vascular disease in humans. 1107 19

Low blood folate levels result in hyperhomocysteinemia, which has been associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease, neural tube defects and cognitive deficits. Intake of dietary folates is the chief determinant of blood folate levels. Molecular defects in the intestinal absorption of dietary folates that precipitate low blood folate levels and hyperhomocysteinemia have not been investigated previously. Dietary folates are a mixture of polyglutamylated folates which are digested to monoglutamyl folates by the action of folylpoly-gamma-glutamate carboxypeptidase (FGCP), an enzyme that is anchored to the intestinal brush border membrane and is expressed by the glutamate carboxypepidase II (GCPII) gene. We cloned GCPII cDNA from human intestine and identified both a full-length transcript and a 93 bp shorter transcript lacking exon 18, consistent with the presence of a splice variant. In addition, we identified an H475Y polymorphism in GCPII in DNA samples from a healthy Caucasian population (n = 75). We found that membranes of transfected COS-7 cells expressing the H475Y variant GCPII cDNA had 53% less FGCP activity than did cells expressing wild-type GCPII. The presence of the H475Y GCPII allele was significantly associated with lower folate and higher homocysteine levels in this population. These data suggest that the presence of the H475Y GCPII allele impairs the intestinal absorption of dietary folates, resulting in relatively low blood folate levels and consequent hyperhomocysteinemia.
Hum Mol Genet 2000 Nov 22
PMID:Glutamate carboxypeptidase II: a polymorphism associated with lower levels of serum folate and hyperhomocysteinemia. 1109 59

Hyperhomocysteinemia, a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, is caused by nutritional and/or genetic disruptions in homocysteine metabolism. The most common genetic cause of hyperhomocysteinemia is the 677C-->T mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene. This variant, with mild enzymatic deficiency, is associated with an increased risk for neural tube defects and pregnancy complications and with a decreased risk for colon cancer and leukemia. Although many studies have reported that this variant is also a risk factor for vascular disease, this area of investigation is still controversial. Severe MTHFR deficiency results in homocystinuria, an inborn error of metabolism with neurological and vascular complications. To investigate the in vivo pathogenetic mechanisms of MTHFR deficiency, we generated mice with a knockout of MTHFR: Plasma total homocysteine levels in heterozygous and homozygous knockout mice are 1.6- and 10-fold higher than those in wild-type littermates, respectively. Both heterozygous and homozygous knockouts have either significantly decreased S-adenosylmethionine levels or significantly increased S-adenosylhomocysteine levels, or both, with global DNA hypomethylation. The heterozygous knockout mice appear normal, whereas the homozygotes are smaller and show developmental retardation with cerebellar pathology. Abnormal lipid deposition in the proximal portion of the aorta was observed in older heterozygotes and homozygotes, alluding to an atherogenic effect of hyperhomocysteinemia in these mice.
Hum Mol Genet 2001 Mar 01
PMID:Mice deficient in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase exhibit hyperhomocysteinemia and decreased methylation capacity, with neuropathology and aortic lipid deposition. 1118 67

Hyperhomocysteinemia has been identified as an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. The infiltration of monocytes into the arterial wall is one of the key events during atherogenesis. Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a potent chemokine that stimulates the migration of monocytes into the intima of the arterial wall. The mechanism by which increased monocyte infiltration occurs in atherosclerotic lesions in patients with hyperhomocysteinemia has not been delineated. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of homocysteine on MCP-1 production in endothelial cells. Cells were incubated with homocysteine. The secretion of MCP-1 protein was significantly increased (195% as compared to the control) in cells treated with pathological concentrations of homocysteine. Such effect was accompanied by an increased expression of MCP-1 mRNA (176% as compared to the control) in endothelial cells which resulted in enhanced monocyte chemotaxis. The p38 MAP kinase as well as other members of the p38 MAP kinase pathway, including MKK3, MKK6, ATF-2 and Elk-1, were activated in homocysteine-treated cells. Homocysteine-induced MCP-1 expression and subsequent monocyte chemotaxis were blocked by a p38 MAP kinase inhibitor (SB203580) suggesting that the p38 MAP kinase pathway might be involved in homocysteine-induced MCP-1 expression in endothelial cells. In contrast, staurosporine, a protein kinase C inhibitor, had no effect on homocysteine-induced MCP-1 expression. In conclusion, our results indicate that homocysteine stimulates MCP-1 expression in endothelial cells leading to enhanced monocyte chemotaxis.
Mol Cell Biochem 2001 Jan
PMID:Homocysteine stimulates the expression of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in endothelial cells leading to enhanced monocyte chemotaxis. 1121 56

Hyperhomocysteinemia is known to be associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and venous thrombosis. Gene polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methionine synthase (MS) may account for reduced enzyme activity and hyperhomocysteinemia. A recent study has documented evidence of polygenic regulation of plasma homocyteine. We report here on a case of occlusive stroke at young age and hyperhomocysteinemia with homozygous VN (677C to T) variant in the MTHFR gene as well as homozygous D/D (2756G to A) variant in the MS gene.
Exp Mol Med 2001 Jun 30
PMID:Homozygous VN (677C to T) and d/D (2756G to A) variants in the methylenetetrahydrofolate and methionine synthase genes in a case of hyperhomocysteinemia with stroke at young age. 1146 Aug 81

Hyperhomocysteinemia and insulin resistance are independent factors for cardiovascular disease. Most of the angiotoxic effects of homocysteine are related to the formation of homocysteine thiolactone and the consequent increase in oxidative stress. The oxidative stress has also been shown to impair insulin action, therefore leading to insulin resistance. In order to study a putative direct effect of homocysteine on insulin signaling, we have characterized the molecular counter-regulation of the early events in the signal transduction of the insulin receptor, and the metabolic end-point of glycogen synthesis. We employed HTC rat hepatoma cells transfected with the human insulin receptor. A 10 min exposure to homocysteine thiolactone (50 microM) resulted in a significant inhibition of insulin-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor beta-subunit and its substrates IRS-1 and p60-70, as well as their association with the p85 regulatory subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase. These effects led to impairment of the insulin-stimulated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activity, which plays a central role in regulating insulin action. Thus, insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis was also inhibited by homocysteine thiolactone. To investigate whether oxidative stress was mediating the counter-regulatory effect of homocysteine thiolactone on insulin signaling, we preincubated the cells (5 min) with 250 microM glutathione prior to the incubation with homocysteine (10 min) and subsequent insulin challenge. Glutathione completely abolished the effects of homocysteine thiolactone on insulin-receptor signaling and restored the insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis. In conclusion, these data suggest that homocysteine thiolactone impairs insulin signaling by a mechanism involving oxidative stress, leading to a defect in insulin action.
J Mol Endocrinol 2001 Aug
PMID:Homocysteine thiolactone inhibits insulin signaling, and glutathione has a protective effect. 1146 79

Molecular defects in genes encoding enzymes involved in homocysteine metabolism may account for mild hyperhomocysteinemia, an independent and graded risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined the relationship of two polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, the 677C-->T and 1298A-->C variants, to MTHFR activity, homocysteine concentrations, and risk of CVD in a population of 190 vascular disease patients and 601 apparently healthy controls. The mean specific and residual MTHFR activities were significantly lower in 677CT and 677TT individuals (both P<0.001). The 1298A-->C mutation alone showed no effect on MTHFR activities. However, when the 677C-->T genotype was taken into account, the 1298A-->C mutation also caused a significant decrease in MTHFR activities, which was observed in both the homozygous 1298CC (P<0.001) and the heterozygous 1298AC states (P=0.005). Both the 677TT as the 677CT genotypes were associated with significantly higher fasting and postload homocysteine levels than 677CC (P<0.001 and P=0.003, respectively). The 1298A-->C mutation had no effect on fasting or postload homocysteine levels. Since homocysteine itself is considered to be positively associated with the risk of CVD, these findings indicate that the 1298A-->C mutation cannot be considered a major risk factor for CVD.
J Mol Med (Berl) 2001 Sep
PMID:A second common variant in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene and its relationship to MTHFR enzyme activity, homocysteine, and cardiovascular disease risk. 1169 65

Maternal mild hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with increased risk for bearing children with neural tube defects (NTD). Folate intake corrects hyperhomocysteinemia and prevents up to 70% of NTD. The curly-tail (ct) mouse, an animal model for NTD, has been suggested to display features that closely resemble the human defect. We therefore investigated folate metabolism in ct mice. On control and folate-/choline-deficient diets, ct mice exhibited higher plasma homocysteine levels than control C57Bl/6 mice. This increase was associated with increased liver S-Adenosylhomocysteine and decreased S-adenosylmethionine:S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAM/SAH) ratios. Since the ct locus maps in close proximity to the gene for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (Mthfr), a modifier of homocysteine levels in man, we also assayed Mthfr activity and sequenced the 5(') regulatory region; these experiments suggested that Mthfr is not defective in the ct strain. Finally, we examined the influence of dietary folate on NTD incidence in the ct strain, but did not identify significant differences among the four diets used in the study. Our work suggests that altered homocysteine metabolism may contribute to the pathogenetic mechanism of the ct defect, but, unlike human NTD, nutritional or genetic deficiencies in folate metabolism do not appear to play a significant direct role.
Mol Genet Metab 2002 Aug
PMID:The curly-tail (ct) mouse, an animal model of neural tube defects, displays altered homocysteine metabolism without folate responsiveness or a defect in Mthfr. 1220 34


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>