DL-Homocystine

DL-Homocystine (CAS No.: 870-93-9) is a disulfide-linked dimer of homocysteine and represents an oxidized form within the methionine–homocysteine metabolic network, widely studied in biochemical and neurobiological research as a modulator of redox balance and sulfur amino acid metabolism. As a biologically relevant metabolite, it is associated with cellular processes involving oxidative stress, glutathione homeostasis, and methylation pathways, and its dysregulation has been implicated in mechanisms such as neurotransmitter imbalance, neuroinflammation, and altered neuronal signaling observed in neuropsychiatric disorder models. DL-Homocystine is also reported as a mutagenic metabolite produced by certain bacterial species, highlighting its relevance in host–microbe interaction studies and genotoxicity research. In experimental systems, it is commonly employed to induce oxidative stress and perturb thiol-dependent signaling pathways, including those linked to reactive oxygen species generation and redox-sensitive transcriptional responses, with activity typically observed in the micromolar concentration range depending on cell type and assay conditions. This compound is broadly utilized in in vitro cell-based assays and in vivo animal models to investigate the role of homocysteine metabolism in neuronal function, vascular biology, and inflammatory responses, as well as in screening platforms aimed at identifying modulators of oxidative stress and metabolic imbalance; the concentrations or doses used in experiments typically depend on specific experimental designs and research objectives.