Plasma methionine metabolic profile is associated with longevity in mammals

Commun Biol. 2021 Jun 11;4(1):725. doi: 10.1038/s42003-021-02254-3.

Abstract

Methionine metabolism arises as a key target to elucidate the molecular adaptations underlying animal longevity due to the negative association between longevity and methionine content. The present study follows a comparative approach to analyse plasma methionine metabolic profile using a LC-MS/MS platform from 11 mammalian species with a longevity ranging from 3.5 to 120 years. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a species-specific plasma profile for methionine metabolism associated with longevity characterised by: i) reduced methionine, cystathionine and choline; ii) increased non-polar amino acids; iii) reduced succinate and malate; and iv) increased carnitine. Our results support the existence of plasma longevity features that might respond to an optimised energetic metabolism and intracellular structures found in long-lived species.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carnitine / metabolism
  • Cats
  • Cattle
  • Choline / blood
  • Choline / metabolism
  • Choline / physiology
  • Cystathionine / blood
  • Cystathionine / metabolism
  • Cystathionine / physiology
  • Dogs
  • Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry
  • Guinea Pigs
  • Horses
  • Humans
  • Longevity / physiology*
  • Malates / blood
  • Malates / metabolism
  • Methionine / blood*
  • Methionine / metabolism
  • Methionine / physiology
  • Mice
  • Phylogeny
  • Rabbits
  • Rats
  • Sheep
  • Succinic Acid / blood
  • Succinic Acid / metabolism
  • Swine

Substances

  • Malates
  • Cystathionine
  • malic acid
  • Succinic Acid
  • Methionine
  • Choline
  • Carnitine