In humans, severe hyperhomocysteinemia due to genetic alterations in cystathionine beta-synthase (Cbs) or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (Mthfr) results in neurological abnormalities and premature death from vascular complications.
Polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) and cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) genes, involved in the intracellular metabolism of homocysteine (Hcy), can result in hyperhomocysteinemia.
Genetic background conversion ameliorates semi-lethality and permits behavioral analyses in cystathionine beta-synthase-deficient mice, an animal model for hyperhomocysteinemia.
For example, plasma Hcy-thiolactone was found to be elevated 59-72-fold in human patients with hyperhomocysteinemia secondary to mutations in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) or cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) genes.
The aim of the present study was to analyze the modifications of redox state in the liver of heterozygous cystathionine beta synthase-deficient mice, a murine model of hyperhomocysteinemia.
Severe HHcy (plasma Hcy 210 micromol/L) accelerates spontaneous arthrosclerosis in the CBS(-/-)/apoE(-/-) mice, reduces the concentration of circulating HDL, apoA-I, and large HDL particles, inhibits HDL function, and enhances HDL-C clearance.
Here we show that plasma Hcy-thiolactone is elevated 59-fold and 72-fold in human patients with hyperhomocysteinemia secondary to mutations in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and cystathionine beta-synthase genes, respectively.
However, chronic administration of catechin but not quercetin significantly reduced plasma homocysteine levels, attenuated the reduction of the hepatic CBS activity, and restored the decreased paraoxonase-1 gene expression and activity induced by chronic hyperhomocysteinemia.
We conclude that hyperhomocysteinemia is associated with a decreased activity and expression of CBS in renal PTs because of the defect of chromosome 13 in SS rats.
As hyperhomocysteinemia due to cystathionine beta synthase deficiency is associated with a decreased expression of paraoxonase-1, a major anti-atherosclerotic component secreted by the liver, we aimed to analyze the expression of paraoxonase-1 and cystathionine beta synthase in Down syndrome fetal liver by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction.
The 31 bp VNTR in the CBS gene is associated with post-methionine load hyperhomocysteinaemia that may predispose individuals to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
The most frequent causes of hyperhomocysteinaemia are genetic defects, such as cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) deficiency, deficiencies of folic acid and/or vitamin B12, renal failure and interference in homocysteine metabolism by drugs or metabolic alterations.
However, folate deficiency, either associated or not associated with the thermolabile mutation of the N(5,10)-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, and vitamin B(6) deficiency, perhaps associated with cystathionine beta-synthase defects or with methionine excess, are believed to be major determinants of the increased risk of cardiovascular disease related to hyperhomocysteinemia.
This indicates that a search for CBS mutations in patients with severe hyperhomocysteinemia is important to ensure the detection of a possible CBS deficiency, thus enabling treatment.
Hence, mild hyperhomocysteinemia due to reduced CBS expression impairs endothelium-dependent vasodilation, likely due to impaired nitric oxide bioactivity, and increased oxidative stress apparently contributes to inactivating nitric oxide in chronic, mild hyperhomocysteinemia.
Mild hyperhomocysteinemia is associated to mutations either in cystathionine beta-synthase (CBS) or in 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genes.In 1995, Sebastio et al. characterized a 68 bp insertion in cis with the most common CBS mutation (T833C) detected in homocystinuric patients.
However, it is not known how much of the observed hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with vascular disease is due to heterozygosity for cystathionine-beta-synthase (CbetaS) deficiency, because a clinically useful screening method is unavailable.
In support of our findings in vitro, steady-state mRNA levels of GRP78, but not HSP70, were elevated in the livers of cystathionine beta-synthase-deficient mice with hyperhomocysteinaemia.