Hyperhomocyst(e)inaemia is associated with endothelial dysfunction in animals and humans. Mechanisms responsible for endothelial dysfunction in hyperhomocyst(e)inaemia are poorly understood, but may involve impaired bioavailability of endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO). We hypothesized that acute elevation of homocyst(e)ine by oral methionine loading may stimulate the formation of asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of NO synthase, due to a transmethylation reaction during the formation of homocyst(e)ine from methionine. We studied nine healthy human subjects (five males, four females) aged 29±2 years. Flow-mediated vasodilation (FMD) in the brachial artery (endothelium-dependent) and vasodilation induced by nitroglycerine (endothelium-independent) were measured with high-resolution ultrasound before and 8 h after oral methionine (100 mg/kg in cranberry juice) or placebo (cranberry juice), on separate days and in random order. Plasma homocyst(e)ine and ADMA concentrations were measured by specific HPLC methods. After a methionine bolus, elevation of homocyst(e)ine (28.4±3.5 µmol/l) was associated with an increased plasma concentration of ADMA (2.03±0.18 µmol/l) and reduced FMD (1.54±0.92%). Placebo had no effect on these parameters. There was a significant inverse linear relationship between ADMA concentration and FMD (r =-0.49; P < 0.05), which was stronger than the relationship between the homocyst(e)ine concentration and FMD (r =-0.36; not significant). We conclude that acute elevation of the homocyst(e)ine concentration impairs vascular endothelial function by a mechanism in which an elevated concentration of ADMA may be involved. This finding may have importance for understanding the mechanism(s) leading to homocyst(e)ine-associated vascular disease, and its potential treatment.
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January 02 2001
Elevation of asymmetrical dimethylarginine may mediate endothelial dysfunction during experimental hyperhomocyst(e)inaemia in humans
Rainer H. BÖGER;
*Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, 30623 Hannover, Germany
Correspondence: Dr Rainer H. Böger, Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany (e-mail [email protected]).
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Steven R. LENTZ;
Steven R. LENTZ
†Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA-52242-1081, U.S.A.
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Stefanie M. BODE-BÖGER;
Stefanie M. BODE-BÖGER
*Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hannover Medical School, 30623 Hannover, Germany
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Howard R. KNAPP;
Howard R. KNAPP
†Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA-52242-1081, U.S.A.
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William G. HAYNES
William G. HAYNES
†Department of Internal Medicine, University of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA-52242-1081, U.S.A.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
June 26 2000
Revision Received:
September 06 2000
Accepted:
October 26 2000
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society and the Medical Research Society © 2001
2001
Clin Sci (Lond) (2001) 100 (2): 161–167.
Article history
Received:
June 26 2000
Revision Received:
September 06 2000
Accepted:
October 26 2000
Citation
Rainer H. BÖGER, Steven R. LENTZ, Stefanie M. BODE-BÖGER, Howard R. KNAPP, William G. HAYNES; Elevation of asymmetrical dimethylarginine may mediate endothelial dysfunction during experimental hyperhomocyst(e)inaemia in humans. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 February 2001; 100 (2): 161–167. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/cs1000161
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