Ethanol exposure modulates hepatic S-adenosylmethionine and S-adenosylhomocysteine levels in the isolated perfused rat liver through changes in the redox state of the NADH/NAD+ system

Methionine metabolism is disrupted in patients with alcoholic liver disease, resulting in altered hepatic concentrations of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH), and other metabolites. The present study tested the hypothesis that reductive stress mediates the effects of ethanol on liver methionine metabolism. Isolated rat livers were perfused with ethanol or propanol to induce a reductive stress by increasing the NADH/NAD+ ratio, and the concentrations of SAM and SAH in the liver tissue were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The increase in the NADH/NAD+ ratio induced by ethanol or propanol was associated with a marked decrease in SAM and an increase in SAH liver content. 4-Methylpyrazole, an inhibitor the NAD+-dependent enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase, blocked the increase in the NADH/NAD+ ratio and prevented the alterations in SAM and SAH. Similarly, co-infusion of pyruvate, which is metabolized by the NADH-dependent enzyme lactate dehydrogenase, restored the NADH/NAD+ ratio and normalized SAM and SAH levels. The data establish an initial link between the effects of ethanol on the NADH/NAD+ redox couple and the effects of ethanol on methionine metabolism in the liver.

Research highlights
► Decreased hepatic SAM and increased SAH are hallmarks of alcoholic liver disease.
► A decrease in the SAM/SAH ratio inhibits numerous transmethylation reactions.
► The mechanisms by which ethanol affects SAM and SAH are unclear.
► We have identified the NADH/NAD+ system as a major regulator of SAM and SAH levels.