Disease Relevance
Although there is much controversy over the role of SDH in human hepatocytes, studies have shown that nonketotic hyperglycemia is due to the deficiency of threonine dehydratase, a close corollary to serine dehydratase. Serine dehydratase has also been found to be absent in human colon carcinoma and rat sarcoma. The observed enzyme imbalance in these tumors shows that an increased capacity for the synthesis of serine is coupled to its utilization for nucleotide biosynthesis as a part of the biochemical commitment to cellular replication in cancer cells. This pattern is found in sarcomas and carcinomas, and in tumors of human and rodent origin Thus, SDH is significant in the development of hyperglycemia and tumors.
In addition, homocystinuria is a hereditary disease caused by the deficiency of L-serine dehydratase. Its symptoms include mental retardation, death, atherosclerosis, and coronary thrombosis as well as dislocation of the eye lens. Homocystinuria is a disease characterized by high urine and plasma levels of homocysteine. L-Serine dehydratase condenses homocysteine with serine to form cystathionine.
Read more about this topic: Serine Dehydratase
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