Homocysteine (HCY) has recently been linked to fragility fractures. Moreover, HCY activates osteoclasts. Little is known about the effect of HCY on activity of human osteoblasts (OBs). We hypothesized that HCY decreases the activity of OBs. Osteoblasts obtained from trabecular human bone specimens of eight donors were cultured with conditioned medium. Culture medium was adjusted to 0, 100, 500,...

Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) concentration is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease and may also be associated with hypertension. Although links have been established between hyperhomocysteinemia and elevated risk for cardiovascular events, the precise role of plasma Hcy in cardiovascular disease is unclear. Plasma Hcy increases with aging and is associated with other health...

The authors examined the association of total plasma homocysteine (Hcy) levels with measures of atrophy and white matter disease on MRI scans in 36 healthy elderly individuals. Hcy had a significant positive relationship with lateral ventricle-brain ratios in the anterior (r = 0.49) and middle (r = 0.43) ventricular regions as measures of central atrophy, but not with cortical atrophy or white ...

We have previously shown that homocysteine (Hcy) can induce monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) secretion via reactive oxygen species (ROS) in human monocytes. Here, we show that Hcy upregulates expression of an important antioxidative protein, thioredoxin (Trx), via NADPH oxidase in human monocytes in vitro. The increase of Trx expression and activity inhibited Hcy-induced ROS productio...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Homocysteine (Hcy)-thiolactone mediates protein N-homocysteinylation in humans. Protein N-linked Hcy comprises a major pool of Hcy in human blood, greater that the "total" Hcy pool. N-homocysteinylated proteins are structurally different, compared with native proteins, and are thus likely to be recognized as neoself antigens and induce an autoimmune response. This study w...

BACKGROUND & AIMS Indian subcontinent has the highest child mortality rates along with a very high frequency of low birthweight (LBW). Folate and vitamin B12 (Vit-B12) are necessary during foetal development and their deficiency prevalence in Indians is very high. The objective of the present paper is to assess whether foetal homocysteine (Hcy)/folate metabolic pathway genes, their cofactors an...

I have read with interest the paper by Han, et al. reporting that homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for non-culprit coronary lesions progression after 12 months of follow-up in elderly patients who has undergone percutaneous coronary stenting. Hcy-mediated increased lipid peroxidation and generation of free radicals results in inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, which trigg...

The ability of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (AdoHcy) to inhibit biologic transmethylation reactions in vitro has led us to explore the possibility of pharmacologically manipulating AdoHcy levels in vivo and examining the consequences of these alterations on the transmethylation of some biogenic amines. Swiss-Webster mice were injected intraperitoneally with different doses of adenosine (Ado) and D...

Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is associated with cerebrovascular disease and activates matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which lead to vascular remodeling that could disrupt the blood-brain barrier. To determine whether Hcy administration can increase brain microvascular leakage secondary to activation of MMPs, we examined pial venules by intravital video microscopy through a craniotomy in...

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected for 2 weeks to daily injections of homocysteine (Hcy), which increased plasma Hcy approximately 2-fold. Echocardiography indicated significant increases in left ventricular diastolic (13%) and systolic (31%) dimensions and decreases in posterior wall thickness (diastolic, -17%; systolic, -20%) in Hcy-treated animals. Slight changes were noted in the eject...