Alterations in S-adenosylhomocysteine metabolism decrease O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase gene expression without affecting promoter methylation

The DNA repair enzyme O6-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) protects cells against the cytotoxic effects of alkylating agents. Therefore, modulation of MGMT expression in tumors is a possible strategy for improving the efficiency of cancer therapy. MGMT expression and activity is lost frequently in association with DNA hypermethylation of the MGMT promoter region. Since DNA and mRNA methylation are controlled by intracellular S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) and S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) levels, we hypothesized a role for AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio in the regulation of MGMT promoter methylation and mRNA expression.Our initial studies showed that AdoMet/AdoHcy ratios vary over a wide range (7.0–50) in different glioblastoma and hepatoma cell lines. The studied cell lines exhibit distinct MGMT promoter methylation patterns: MGMT promoter was completely unmethylated in LN-18 and Tu 132 cells, hypermethylated in LN-229, U87-MG, and Tu 113 cells, and partially methylated in HepG2 cells. Furthermore, MGMT promoter methylation patterns and global DNA methylation are not related to intracellular AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio under control conditions. To lower AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio to values <1 we used AdoHcy hydrolase inhibitor adenosine-2′,3′-dialdehyde (30 μM) and found that neither short-term (24 h) nor long-term changes (7 weeks) in AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio altered global or MGMT promoter methylation. However, experimentally elevated AdoHcy levels significantly decreased MGMT mRNA levels by >50% in all MGMT-expressing cell lines, which is most likely the result of impaired mRNA methylation. Thus, the present study suggests elevation of AdoHcy levels by AdoHcy hydrolase inhibition as a novel pharmacological approach to modulate MGMT expression and to increase the responsiveness to alkylating agents.