Cycloleucine
Cycloleucine is a non-proteinogenic amino acid. It could be classified as a cyclic derivate of norleucine, having two hydrogen atoms less. Leading structure is a cyclopentane-ring. The α-carbon atom is not a stereocenter.
Cycloleucine is a non-metabolisable amino acid and is a specific and reversible inhibitor of nucleic acid methylation, and as such is widely used in biochemical experiments.
In 2007, a research study performed on primary rat hepatocytes had shown that cycloleucine can lower S-Adenosyl_methionine levels in control hepatocytes by inhibiting the conversion of 5'-methylthioadenosine to SAM through the methionine salvage pathway. Cycloleucine treatment in conjunction with higher levels of cytochrome P450 2E1 and lower SAM levels in pyrazole hepatocytes had shown an increased amount of cell apoptosis when compared to control hepatocytes.
