Analysis of S-adenosylmethionine and related sulfur metabolites in animal tissues.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method was devised that separates S-adenosylmethionine and related sulfur metabolites on a Radial-PAK SCX cation-exchange column using a four-step NH4COOH/(NH4)2SO4 elution gradient. This new procedure permits, in a single run of 60 min, the quantitative analysis of S-adenosylmethionine, S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy), 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine, decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine, decarboxylated AdoHcy, inosylhomocysteine, and other related metabolites. Furthermore, this method allows the detection in rat tissues of novel sulfur metabolites, S-inosylhomocysteine and decarboxylated AdoHcy. Perturbation of the levels of some of these metabolites could be detected in rat livers and spleens after the administration of 3-deazaadenosine, an inhibitor of AdoHcy hydrolase, but could not be detected in rat adrenal glands. It is notable that decarboxylated AdoHcy disappeared in the livers of rats treated with 3-deazaadenosine. HeLa cells incubated with [35S]methionine displayed the incorporation of the labeled sulfur into S-adenosylmethionine, AdoHcy, decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine, S-inosylhomocysteine, and 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine.