Abstract
The ability of some substrate-analogues to inhibit or to inactivate S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) purified from bovine pancreas was investigated. Our results confirm that 3-deazaarysteromicin (DZAry) is a more potent competitive inhibitor than 3-deazaadenosine (DZA), while nebularine (purine riboside), contrary to previous reports, showed an uncompetitive inhibition. Moreover, 2-chloroadenosine and 2′-deoxyadenosine were found to be irreversible inactivators of SAHase with increasing potency, respectively. Ki values found for these drugs were of the same order of magnitude as those reported for SAHases from other mammalian tissues. The SAHase substrate-analogues studied are believed to act as antineoplastic and/or antiviral agents. It is conceivable to postulate that their therapeutic effects could be, at least in part, attributable to inhibition or even to inactivation of SAHase which, in turn, causes a reduction in S-adenosylmethionine-dependent methylation reactions.