Regulation of homocysteine metabolism.

We have used a combination of in vivo and in vitro techniques to measure factors regulating homocysteine metabolism and the plasma concentration of this atherogenic amino acid. The germane findings include: 1. Homocysteine metabolism in rat kidney proceeds predominantly through the transsulfuration pathway, whose enzymes are enriched within the proximal cells of kidney tubules. Furthermore, the rat kidney possesses significant reserve capacity to handle both acute and chronic elevations in plasma homocysteine concentrations. 2. Plasma homocysteine concentrations are lower in diabetic rats. Insulin administration corrects this perturbation. Therefore, insulin and/or one of its counter-regulatory hormones affects homocysteine metabolism, possibly through an increased flux in the hepatic transsulfuration pathway. In support of these data, glucagon administration to rats produced similar results. Further support was provided by studies with isolated rat hepatocytes, from which homocysteine export was reduced when incubated in the presence of glucagon.