Hyperglucagonemia in Rats Results in Decreased Plasma Homocysteine and Increased Flux through the Transsulfuration Pathway in Liver

An elevated plasma level of homocysteine is a risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of glucagon on homocysteine metabolism in the rat. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with 4 mg/kg/day (3 injections per day) glucagon for 2 days while control rats received vehicle injections. Glucagon treatment resulted in a 30% decrease in total plasma homocysteine and increased hepatic activities of glycine N-methyltransferase, cystathionine beta-synthase, and cystathionine gamma-lyase. Enzyme activities of the remethylation pathway were unaffected. The 90% elevation in activity of cystathionine beta-synthase was accompanied by a 2-fold increase in its mRNA level. Hepatocytes prepared from glucagon-injected rats exported less homocysteine, when incubated with methionine, than did hepatocytes of saline-treated rats. Flux through cystathionine beta-synthase was increased 5-fold in hepatocytes isolated from glucagon-treated rats as determined by production of (14)CO(2) and alpha-[1-(14)C]ketobutyrate from l-[1-(14)C]methionine. Methionine transport was elevated 2-fold in hepatocytes isolated from glucagon-treated rats resulting in increased hepatic methionine levels. Hepatic concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine, allosteric activators of cystathionine beta-synthase, were also increased following glucagon treatment. These results indicate that glucagon can regulate plasma homocysteine through its effects on the hepatic transsulfuration pathway.