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Regulation of Hepatic Betaine-Homocysteine Methyltransferase by Dietary Betaine¹

Veterans Administration Medical Center and George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, D. C. 20422

The level of betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase increases in the livers of rats fed diets supplemented with betaine or choline. The increase occurs within 3 days following the change in diet. When we administered betaine by intraperitoneal injection to rats fed choline-free diets, we observed a similar increase within 24 hours. Since betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase catalyzes a reaction which is essential for the catabolism of betaine, these changes provide a means for adaptation to excessive levels of dietary choline and betaine.

KEY WORDS: • betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase • betaine • choline

¹ These studies were supported by the Veterans Administration and by National Institutes of Health Grant AM-13048.

Manuscript received 29 July 1982.

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