Methylcobalamin metabolism

Metabolism and Mobilization. On entry of vitamin B 2 into the cell, considerable metaboHsm of the vitamin takes place. Co(III)cobalamin is reduced to Co(I)cobalamin, which is either methylated to form methylcobalamin or converted to adenosylcobalamin (coenzyme B>22)- The methylation requires methyl tetrahydrofolate. 

The enzyme mediating remethylation, 5-methyltetrahy-drofolate-betaine methyltransferase (Fig. 40-4 reaction 4), utilizes methylcobalamin as a cofactor. The kinetics of the reaction favor remethylation. Faulty remethylation can occur secondary to (1) dietary factors, e.g. vitamin B12 deficiency (2) a congenital absence of the apoenzyme (3) a congenital inability to convert folate or B12 to the methylated, metabolically active form (see below) or (4) the presence of a metabolic inhibitor, e.g. an antifolate agent that is used in an antineoplastic regimen. 

In methylcobalamin, X is a methyl group. This compound functions as a coenzyme for several methyltransferases, and among other things is involved in the synthesis of methionine from homocysteine (see p. 418). However, in human metabolism, in which methionine is an essential amino acid, this reaction does not occur. 

The name vitamin B12 indicates a group of cobalt-containing corrinoids, also described as cobala-mins. Hydroxycobalamin (HOCbl), adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl), and methylcobalamin (MeCbl) are the natural occurring forms. Instead, cyanocobalamin (Figure 19.20) is the commercially available form used for supplements and food fortification, thanks to its greater relative stability. Occasionally, sulfitocobalmin can occur in processed foods. Vitamin B,2 functions as a coenzyme and it is linked to human growth, cell development, and is involved in metabolism of certain amino acids. Vitamin B12 is present mainly in meat and diary foods, therefore a deficiency can occur in... 

Homocysteinemia Elevated levels of homocysteine can be a metabolic indication of decreased levels of the methylcobalamin form of vitamin... 

Fig. 2.2.1 Outline of homocysteine metabolism in man. BMT Betaine methyltransferase, cblC cobalamin defect type C, cblD cobalamin defect type D, GNMT def glycine N-methyltransferase deficiency, MAT methionine adenosyl transferase, MeCbl methylcobalamin, Met Synth methionine synthase, MTHFR methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, SAH Hyd dc/S-adenosylhomocys-...

This is another rare inherited disorder of vitamin B12 metabolism in which both coenzyme forms, adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin, are affected. Methylcobalamin is required for the transfer of the methyl group of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate to homocysteine to give methionine. Lack of methylcobalamin results in deficient activity of 2V5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homo-cysteine methyltransferase, resulting in a reduced ability to methylate homocysteine. A failure of methionine synthetase would produce a similar result. 

Tetrahydrofolate functions as a carrier of one-carbon units. There are numerous metabolic reactions that require either the addition or removal of a one-carbon unit of some specific oxidation state. THF binds one-carbon units of three oxidation levels the methanol, formaldehyde, and formate states. These are shown in Table 6.4 along with their origins and uses. The various one-carbon units are interconvertible, as shown in Figure 6.5. Nicotinamide coenzymes are involved. In addition, the one-carbon unit may be released as C02. The methanol-level THF-bound one-carbon unit 5-methyl-THF is the storage and transport form. Once formed, its main pathway of metabolism is to form methionine from homocysteine, a reaction that requires vitamin B12 in the form of methylcobalamin (see Figure 6.2 and Chapter 20) ... 

Vitamin B12 is required by only two enzymes in human metabolism methionine synthetase and L-methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Methionine synthetase has an absolute requirement for methylcobalamin and catalyzes the conversion of homocysteine to methionine (Fig. 28-5). 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate is converted to tetrahydrofolate (THF) in this reaction. This vitamin B12-catalyzed reaction is the only means by which THF can be regenerated from 5-methyltetrahydrofolate in humans. Therefore, in vitamin B12 deficiency, folic acid can become trapped in the 5-methyltetrahydrofolate form, and THF is then unavailable for conversion to other coenzyme forms required for purine, pyrimidine, and amino acid synthesis (Fig. 28-6). All folate-dependent reactions are impaired in vitamin B12 deficiency, resulting in indistinguishable hematological abnormalities in both folate and vitamin B12 deficiencies. 

The metabolically important functions of the Bn-derivatives are directly concerned either with enzymatically controlled organometalhc reactions involving protein-bound adenosylcobamides (such as coenzyme B12, (3)), or methyl-Co -corrinoids (such as methylcobalamin, (4)), or with enzyme-controlled redox reactions. Studies on the underlying biologically relevant organometalhc chemistry of the Bi2-coenzymes in homogeneous (protic) solution, as well as the characterization of the enzymatic processes themselves have attracted considerable interest. ... 

Cyanocobalamin (la) is a relatively inert complex and, apart from being involved in the detoxification of small amounts of hydrogen cyanide [5], does not appear to serve any major biological function [10]. The only difference between this species and the metabolically active forms of B12 (methylcobalamin (MeCbl Ib) and 5 -deoxyadenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl Ic)) is the ligand that occupies the... 

Vitamin Bu is unique among all the vitamins in that it is the largest and most complex and because it contains a metal ion. 1 hismetal ion is cobalt. Cobalt occurs in three oxidation states Co, Co, and Co. The medicinal forms of the vitamin are cyanocobalamin and hydnoxocobalamin. In cyanocobalamin, a molecule of Cyanide is complexed to the Co atom. Cyanocobalamin is readily converted in the body to the cofactor forms methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadenosylcobalamin. Methylcobalamin contains cobalt in the Co slate, where it acts as a cofactor for methionine synthase. 5 Deoxyadenosylcobalamin, which contains cobalt in the Co state, is the cofactor for methylmalonyl-CoA mutase. Vitamin Btj is also a cofactor for leucine aminomutase, anen7yme used in leucine metabolism (Poston, 1984). This enzyme appears not to have a vital function in metabolism. No more... 

Metabolism of cobalamins in mammalian cells. Note the compartmentalization of the synthesis of the two coenzymes adenosylcobalamin (AdoCbl) synthesis occurs in mitochondria, whereas that of methylcobalamin (MeCbl) occurs in cytoplasm. TCII, Transcobalamin II OH-Cbl, hydroxocobalamin T, transport protein for TCII-OHCbl complex FH4, MeFH4, tetrahydrofolate and methyltetrahydrofolate, respectively Cbl, a cobalamin in which the ligand occupying the sixth coordination position of the cobalt is not known. The numerical superscripts adjacent to some of the cobalamins indicate the oxidation state of the cobalt ion. Cobalamins in the +1, +2, and +3 oxidation states are also known as Bn, B 2, and Bi2j, respectively. 

The reaction requires a methyl donor such as choline or betaine and a transme-thylase. Methylcobalamin is not involved in the metabolism of Neurospora. 

Methylcobalamin has an extensive chemistry, some of which is doubtless involved in the metabolism of methane-producing bacteria, and it has been shown that it transfers CH3 groups to Hg11, TIIU, Pt11 and Au1.26... 

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN VITAMIN Bj AND FOLIC ACID The major roles of vitamin and folic acid in intracellular metabolism are summarized in Figure 53-6. Intracellular vitamin Bjj is maintained as two active coenzymes methylcobalamin and deoxyadenosylcobal-amin. Deoxyadenosylcobalamin (deoxyadenosyl Bj ) is a cofactor for the mitochondrial mutase enzyme that catalyzes the isomerization of L-methylmalonyl CoA to succinyl CoA, an important... 

METABOLIC FUNCTIONS The active coenzymes methylcobalamin and 5-deoxyadeno-sylcobalamin are essential for cell growth and replication. Methylcobalamin is required for the conversion of homocysteine to methionine and its derivative, SAM. In addition, when concentrations of vitamin Bj are inadequate, folate becomes trapped as methyltetrahydrofolate, causing a functional deficiency of other required intracellular forms of folic acid (see Figures 53-6 and 53-7 and discussion above). The hematological abnormalities in vitamin Bj -deficient patients result from this process. 5-Deoxyadenosylcobalamin is required for the isomerization of L-methylmalonyl CoA to succinyl CoA (Figure 53-6). 

Homocysteine lies at a metabolic crossroad it may condense with serine to form cystathionine, or it may undergo remethylation, thereby conserving methionine. There are two pathways for remethylation in humans. In one, betaine provides the methyl groups, while in the other 5-methyltetrahydrofolate is the methyl donor. This latter reaction is catalyzed by a Bj -containing enzyme, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate homocysteine methyltransferase. Two defects in this latter mechanism may account for the inability to carry out remethylation. In one of them, patients are unable to synthesize or accumulate methylcobalamin, while others cannot produce the second cofactor, 5 -methyltetrahydrofolate, because of adefect in 5,10-methylenetrahydrofolate reductase. 

Fig. 20.3 Pathway of methionine metabolism. The numbers represent the following enzymes or sequences (1) methionine adenosyltransferase (2) S-adenosylmethionine-dependent transmethylation reactions (3) glycine methyltransferase (4) S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (5) betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (6) 5-methyltetrahydrofolate homocysteine methyltransferase (7) serine hydroxymethyltransferase (8) 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (9) S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (10) spermidine and spermine synthases (11) methylthio-adenosine phosphorylase (12) conversion of methylthioribose to methionine (13) cystathionine P-synthase (14) cystathionine y-lyase (15) cysteine dioxygenase (16) cysteine suplhinate decarboxylase (17) hypotaurine NAD oxidoreductase (18) cysteine sulphintite a-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (19) sulfine oxidase. MeCbl = methylcobalamin PLP = pyridoxal phosphate...

Various B12 compounds with different upper-axial ligands exist in nature (Fig. 2). Among these, methylcobalamin and 5 -deoxyadenosylcobalamin function as coenzymes of methionine synthase (MetH EC 2.1.1.13) [42], which is involved in methionine biosynthesis, and of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (EC 5.4.99.2) [43], which is involved in amino acid and odd-chain fatty acid metabolism in mammalian cells. Ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) catalyzes the synthesis of the four deoxyribonucleotides, which are required for DNA replication and repair in all organisms [44]. Cyanobacteria contain... 

Enzymes with vitamin B12 its coenzyme in human metabolism. (1) With adenosylcobalamine methyl-malonyl CoA-mutase (EC 5.4.99.2) leucine-2,3-ami-nomutase (EC 5.4.3.7) (2) with methylcobalamine tetrahydropteroyltriglutamate methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.13). 

Vitamin B12 (1) was discovered (independently by Folkers and by Smith and Parker) some 60 years ago in the course of a search for the extrinsic antiper-nicious anemia factor (14). However, a physiological role for 1 is unknown and organometallic vitamin B12 derivatives, such as coenzyme B12 (2) and methylcobalamin (3), are the proper B12 cofactors in human, animal, and microbial metabolism (2,3,12,13). The structure of the crystalline red cyano-cobalt(III) complex 1 was solved by X-ray analysis (in the laboratory of D. C. Hodgkin) and was shown to have the unique buildup of a cobalt-corrin (15). 

In the animal, the cyanide ion is replaced by a variety of ions, e.g. hydroxyl (hydroxocobalamin), methyl (methylcobalamin) and 5-deoxyadenosyl (5-deoxyadeno-sylcobalamin), the last two forms acting as coenzymes in animal metabolism. 

Vitamin B12 must be converted into its coenzyme forms, adenosylcobalamin and methylcobalamin, in the cell. These coenzymes function as cofactors of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase and methionine synthase, respectively. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) may affect the conversion from vitamin B12 to the coenzyme forms. This section describes the intracellular metabolism of cyanocobalamin, which is included in many dietary supplements, in particular, referring to a recently discovered trafficking chaperone called methylmalonic aciduria cdlC type with homocystinuria (MMACHC). Cyanocobalamin is first converted to cob(II)alamin, which has no cyanogen group on the ligand occupying the upper axial position of the cobalamin structure. Cob(II)alamin is further reduced to cob(I)alamin, which can function as a coenzyme in the body. 

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