Figure 2. Molecular, biochemical and epigenetic mechanisms regulated by ADK isoforms.
Schematic shows intracellular adenosine metabolism via ADK-S, equilibration to the extracellular space via equilibrative (ENT) or concentrative (CNT) nucleoside transporters, and associated adenosine receptor-mediated mechanisms. On the other hand, nuclear ADK-L acts as an epigenetic regulator of DNA methylation. ADK-L promotes transmethylation reactions by adenosine conversion to 5’AMP causing a forward shift in S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) transformation, thereby promoting DNA methylation through DNA methyltransferases (DNMT).