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Endothelial marker proteins in hyperhomocysteinemia
S C de Jong1, C D Stehouwer, M van den Berg
1Institute for Cardiovascular Research, Vrije Universiteit, Department of Surgery, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Thrombosis and Haemostasis
|January 4, 1998
Summary
High homocysteine levels (hyperhomocysteinemia) may damage blood vessels, but this study found no independent link to endothelial dysfunction markers in healthy individuals. However, elevated von Willebrand factor was noted in hyperhomocysteinemic patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Vascular Biology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Hyperhomocysteinemia is linked to atherosclerosis and thromboembolism, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear.
- Endothelial injury is a proposed mechanism, yet the independent association between hyperhomocysteinemia and endothelial function remains unknown.
- This study investigates endothelial function markers in relation to hyperhomocysteinemia in both healthy individuals and patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if plasma protein markers of endothelial function differ between individuals with and without hyperhomocysteinemia.
- To assess the independent association of hyperhomocysteinemia with endothelial dysfunction.
- To compare endothelial markers in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease and healthy controls, with and without hyperhomocysteinemia.
Main Methods:
- Studied 80 individuals under 56 years: 40 healthy, 40 with peripheral arterial occlusive disease, divided by homocysteine levels.
- Measured plasma levels of endothelium-derived proteins: von Willebrand factor (vWf), vWf propeptide (vWf: AgII), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), cellular fibronectin (cFN), and thrombomodulin (TM).
- Assessed C-reactive protein (CRP) as an inflammatory marker.
Main Results:
- Patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease showed significantly higher levels of vWf, vWf: AgII, tPA, and CRP compared to healthy individuals.
- No significant differences in most marker protein levels were found between hyperhomocysteinemic and normohomocysteinemic individuals.
- A notable exception was significantly elevated vWf in hyperhomocysteinemic patients compared to normohomocysteinemic patients.
Conclusions:
- Peripheral arterial occlusive disease is associated with markers of endothelial activation and inflammation.
- Hyperhomocysteinemia was not independently associated with altered endothelial cell function markers in healthy subjects.
- While vWf was elevated in hyperhomocysteinemic patients, overall evidence for an independent link between hyperhomocysteinemia and endothelial dysfunction markers in this cohort was not found.