엽산 보충이 호모시스틴 식이에 의해 유발된 고호모시스테인혈증과 간의 S-Adenosylmethionine 대사에 미치는 영향

Effects of Dietary Folate Supplementation on the Homocystine Diet-Induced Hyperhomocysteinemia and Hepatic S-Adenosylmethionine Metabolism in Rats

We investigated the effects of dietary folate supplementation on plasma homocysteine, vitamin B$_{12}$ and hepatic levels of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) in diet-induced hyperhomocysteinemic rats. All animals were fed 0.3% homocysteine diet for 2 weeks, then they were placed either on a 0.3% homocystine or no homocystine with or without 8 mg/kg folate diet for 8 weeks. Homocystine diet induced hyperhomocysteinemia up to 3.5-fold at 10 weeks (28.0 $\pm$ 4.8 $\mu$mol/l vs. 7.9 $\pm$ 0.3 $\mu$mol/l). Dietary folate supplementation caused a significant decrease in plasma homocysteine levels which had been increased by a homocystine-diet. Also, dietary folate supplementation made them return to control levels at 4 wk when the diet was free of homocystine. Plasma folate levels were markedly decreased with homocystine diet with no folate supplementation. Plasma vitamin B$_{12}$ did not differ between groups. Dietary homocystine increased hepatic levels of SAM in folate supplementation group at 10 weeks (p<0.05). Dietary folate supplementation increased hepatic levels of SAM/SAH ratios in homocystine group (p<0.05). In conclusion, dietary folate supplementation can effectively ameliorate the detrimental effects of hyperhomocysteinemia.mia.