Methioninase: a therapeutic for diseases related to altered methionine metabolism and transmethylation: cancer, heart disease, obesity, aging, and Parkinson's disease.

Abstract

Methionine metabolism and transmethylation are central to the metabolism and differentiation of all known cells. In enkaryotic organisms, methionine metabolism and transmethylation are of paramount importance in modification and regulation of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. The differential methylation of genes regulates their expression in the myriad of cells in eukaryotic organisms. Disruption and abnormalities in methionine metabolism and transmethylation seems to be associated with the major diseases of mankind, including cancer, heart disease, aging, obesity, and Parkinson's disease. In this review, we describe how aberrant and abnormal methionine metabolism and transmethylation are related to these major diseases. Most importantly, we review and hypothesize how the developing therapeutic recombination methioninase (rMETase) can be utilized to cure or prevent all of these diseases.

• Authors: R M Hoffman
• Journal: Human cell (Hum Cell) Vol. 10 Issue 1 Pg. 69-80 (Mar 1997) ISSN: 0914-7470 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 9234067 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Recombinant Proteins
• Methionine
• Carbon-Sulfur Lyases
• L-methionine gamma-lyase

Topics

• Aging (metabolism)
• Animals
• Carbon-Sulfur Lyases (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Drug Interactions
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Heart Diseases (etiology)
• Humans
• Methionine (metabolism)
• Methylation
• Neoplasms (drug therapy, etiology, metabolism)
• Obesity (etiology)
• Parkinson Disease (etiology)
• Recombinant Proteins (pharmacology, therapeutic use)