Comparative species utilization and toxicity of sulfur amino acids.

Animal studies have shown that several methionine (Met) and cysteine (Cys) analogs or precursors have L-Met- and L-Cys-sparing activity. Relative oral bioavailability (RBV) values, with the L-isomer of Met and Cys set at 100% (isosulfurous basis), are near 100% for D-Met for animals but only about 30% for humans. Both the OH and keto analogs of Met have high RBV-sparing values, as does N-acetyl-L-Met (the D-isomer of acetylated Met has no bioactivity). L-Homocysteine has an RBV value of about 65% for Met sparing in rats and chicks, but D-homocysteine has little if any Met-sparing activity. S-Methyl-L-Met can partially spare Met, but only when fed under dietary conditions of choline/betaine deficiency. Relative to L-Cys, high RBV values exist for L-cystine, N-acetyl-L-Cys, L-homocysteine, L-Met, and glutathione, but D-cystine, the keto analog of Cys, L-cysteic acid, and taurine have no Cys-sparing activity. l-2-Oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate has an RBV value of 75%, D-homocysteine 70%, and DL-lanthionine 35% as Cys precursors. Under dietary conditions of Cys deficiency and very low inorganic sulfate (SO4) ingestion, dietary SO4 supplementation has been shown to reduce the Cys requirement of several animal species as well as humans. Excessive ingestion of Met, Cys, or cystine has also been studied extensively in experimental animals, and these sulfur amino acids (SAA) are well established as being among the most toxic of all amino acids that have been studied. Even though Cys and its oxidized product (cystine) are equally efficacious at levels at or below their dietary requirements for maximal growth, Cys is far more toxic than cystine when administered orally in the pharmacologic dosing range. Isosulfurous (excess) levels of cystine, N-acetyl-L-Cys, or glutathione are far less growth depressing than L-Cys when 6 to 10 times the minimally required level of these SAA compounds are fed to chicks.