Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

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Cambridge University Press, Nutrition Research Reviews, 2(17), p. 135-151, 2004

DOI: 10.1079/nrr200489

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The essentiality of sulfur is closely related to nitrogen metabolism. Nutr Res Rev

Journal article published in 2005 by Yves Ingenbleek, Vernon R. Young
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Abstract

AbstractN and S metabolisms are closely interwoven throughout both the plant and animal kingdoms. The essentiality of S relates to its participation in the structure of S-containing amino acids (SAA), to its inclusion in many sulfonated molecules, and to a myriad of metabolic and catalytic reactions of vital importance. Methionine (Met) is the indispensable SAA supplied by food proteins and its plasma homeostasis is achieved via a number of highly efficient regulatory mechanisms. In all conditions characterised by a negative body protein balance such as in dietary restriction or cytokine-induced hypercatabolic losses, N and S endogenous pools manifest parallel tissue depletion rates. Adaptive conservation of N and S body stores is reached by a functional restraint of the trans-sulfuration cascade, through the depression of cystathionine β-synthase activity. As a result, upstream accumulation of homocysteine favours its re-methylation conversion to Met which helps maintain metabolic pathways of survival value. In addition to the measurement of vitamin indices, that of plasma transthyretin, a sensitive marker of protein nutritional status, is proposed to identify the fluctuations of the total body N component accountable for the alterations of homocysteine concentrations in body fluids.