It is now well established that major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVD) impact upon endothelial function by decreasing nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous analog of l-arginine, is able to inhibit the activity of endothelial-NO synthase, promoting endothelial dysfunction. Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characterized by a reduced endothelium...

Recent studies suggested that endothelium is a main source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the major source was via NADPH oxidase pathway. Various stimuli including lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a major component of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL), can enhance the activity of NADPH oxidase and lead to a marked ROS generation. Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous n...

Protein arginine methylation is catalyzed by a family of enzymes called protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs). Three forms of methylarginine have been identified in eukaryotes: monomethylarginine (l-NMMA), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA), all characterized by methylation of one or both guanidine nitrogen atoms of arginine. l-NMMA and ADMA, but not...

BACKGROUND An endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), is elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). This study explored the mechanisms by which ADMA becomes elevated in DM. METHODS AND RESULTS Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed normal chow or high-fat diet (n=5 in each) with moderate streptozotocin injection to induce type 2 DM. Plasma A...

BACKGROUND Hyperhomocysteinemia is a putative risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which also impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. A number of other risk factors for cardiovascular disease may exert their adverse vascular effects in part by elevating plasma levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. Accordingly, we determined if h...

OBJECTIVE To investigate the plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels and L-arginine in the essential hypertension (EH) patients without coronary artery disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS A total of 86 Chinese patients were enrolled in this study. All patients received coronary multidetector-row computed tomography to exclude distinct coronary stenosis and treadmill exercise testing to exc...

BACKGROUND Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, increases the activity of NF-κB (NF-κB) and then induces the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1). However, the mechanisms regulating ADMA-induced NF-κB activation are unknown. This study investigated the function of actin cytoskeleton for ADMA-induced NF-κB activation and ICA...

OBJECTIVE Circulating concentrations of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, are elevated in conditions associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated whether elevated ADMA concentrations predict major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with advanced peripheral artery disease (PAD). METHODS AND RESULTS We prospect...

BACKGROUND This study was designed to evaluate whether plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) has any role in predicting hemodynamic responses in clinically healthy young subjects. ADMA, as an endogenous nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, has been demonstrated to associate with hypertension and vascular reactivity in experimental but not undoubtedly in physiological settings. METHODS A ...

OBJECTIVE Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous nitric oxide synthase inhibitor and a marker of vascular endothelial damage. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) are reported to reduce the serum ADMA level. Our group administered either ARB or calcium antagonist to patients after cerebral infarction and discussed the ADMA changes observ...