Background: Bacterial production of anionic sulphide is increased in the colon of ulcerative colitis and sulphides can cause metabolic damage to colonocytes.
Aims: To assess the reversal of the damaging effect of sulphide to isolated colonocytes by methionine and methionine derivatives.
Methods and subjects: Isolated colonocytes were prepared from rat colons and 12 human colectomy specimens. In cell suspensions 14CO2/acetoacetate generation was measured from [1-14C]-butyrate (5.0 mmol/l) in the presence of 0-2.0 mmol/l sodium hydrogen sulphide. The effect of 5.0 mmol/l L-methionine, S-adenosylmethionine 1,4 butane disulphonate and DL-methionine-S-methylsulphonium chloride on sulphide inhibited oxidation was observed.
Results: In rat colonocytes sodium hydrogen sulphide dose dependently reduced oxidative metabolite formation from n-butyrate, an action reversed in order of efficacy by S-adenosylmethionine 1,4 butane disulphonate > DLmethionine-S-methyl-sulphonium chloride > L-methionine. In human colonocytes S-adenosylmethionine 1,4 butane disulphonate most significantly improved 14CO2 production (p = < 0.005) suppressed by sodium hydrogen sulphide.
Conclusion: Sulphide toxicity in colonocytes is reversible by methyl donors. The efficiency of sulphide detoxification may be an important factor in the pathogenesis and treatment of ulcerative colitis for which S-adenosylmethionine 1,4 butane disulphonate may be of therapeutic value.