Sulphur Amino Acids: How Important is it to Set Reference Ranges for Each Population?

Title:Sulphur Amino Acids: How Important is it to Set Reference Ranges for Each Population?

Volume: 24 Issue: 16

Author(s): Helena Caldeira Araújo*, Cristina Florindo, Alexandra Gomes, João Caio, Rita Castro and Isabel Rivera

Affiliation:

• Faculdade de Ciências da Vida, Projeto Medicina, Universidade da Madeira, Funchal, Portugal
• Centro Química da Madeira, Universidade da Madeira, Funchal, Portugal

Abstract: Introduction: Metabolism of sulfur amino acids requires an optimal interplay between nutritional demand, enzymes, transporters, and adequate dietary intake of B vitamins. Insufficient intake and excess are detrimental, and concentrations depend on health status. However, plasma aminothiol concentrations, previously reported in healthy subjects using highly sensitive methods, vary considerably, and age- and gender differences were observed. Therefore, defining age- and gender-specific ranges for each population is crucial to evaluate the meaning of plasma thiol redox state in health and disease.

Methods: A healthy Portuguese pediatric population (n=90), aged 9- (n=38) and 17-year-old (n=52), was evaluated. Plasma aminothiols, total homocysteine (tHcy), cysteine (tCys), glutathione (tGSH) and γ-glutamylcysteine (tγ-Glu-Cys), were analysed as SBD-F derivatives by HPLC with fluorescence detection.

Results/Case Report: Mean plasma concentrations (SD) for the 9- and the 17-year-old groups, were as following: tHcy = 4.58 (0.98); 8.13 (3.27) µM, p <0.001; tCys = 207.34 (32.07); 198.59 (21.24) µM, p = 0.274; tGSH = 4.54 (1.08); 5.20 (1.84) µM, p = 0.123 and tγ-Glu-Cys = 1.47 (0.30); 1.06 (0.28) µM, p < 0.001, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between males and females in the 9-year-old group. However, in the 17-year-old group, significant differences between genders were observed for tHcys (p < 0.001) and tγ-Glu-Cys (p = 0.039), with males presenting the highest concentrations. When correlating the four thiols’ plasma concentrations, only the precursors of glutathione, tγ-Glu-Cys and tCys, were positively correlated (r = 0.450, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our results showed significant differences in tHcy and tγ-Glu-Cys levels across both age groups, which increased and decreased with age, respectively. It is interesting to highlight that in the 17-year-old group, tHcy and tγ-Glu-Cys levels were higher in males than in females. These observations showed that age and gender influence plasma levels of thiols, which may impact cellular oxidative status. In conclusion, setting age and gender distinct ranges for each specific population is of utmost importance for understanding disease mechanisms and the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions

Cite this article as:

Araújo Caldeira Helena*, Florindo Cristina, Gomes Alexandra, Caio João, Castro Rita and Rivera Isabel, Sulphur Amino Acids: How Important is it to Set Reference Ranges for Each Population?, Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets 2024; 24 (16) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0118715303282774231128053723

DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0118715303282774231128053723	Print ISSN 1871-5303
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher	Online ISSN 2212-3873