A fluorescence-based assay for the measurement of S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase activity in biological samples

The methylation of DNA, RNA, and proteins plays crucial roles in numerous biological processes, including epigenetic control, virus replication, and cell differentiation. In mammals, the rate-limiting step of the S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation process is exclusively controlled by S-adenosylhomocysteine (S-AdoHcy) hydrolase (SAHH). SAHH hydrolyzes S-AdoHcy to adenosine and homocysteine (Hcy) and is therefore a potential therapeutic target for various diseases, including cancer, malaria, and viral diseases. However, a simple and highly sensitive assay for the evaluation of SAHH activity, particularly for drug discovery, had not yet been developed. Here we present the development of a fluorescence-based assay for the measurement of SAHH activity in biological samples. We combined the advantages of the detection of fluorescent thiol groups in Hcy by ThioGlo1 with the S-AdoHcy-driven enzyme-coupled reaction. Our results confirmed the reliability of the proposed assay for the measurement of the SAHH activity of purified SAHH and showed the potential of this assay for the measurement of the SAHH activity of biological samples. Therefore, the proposed SAHH activity assay may be utilized in clinical laboratories and in high-throughput screenings for the identification of new SAHH inhibitors with potentially beneficial effects on numerous pathologies.