title: Lipid peroxidation induced in vivo by hyperhomocysteinaemia in pigs.
abstract: Much attention has been focused recently on the relationship between homocysteinaemia and the development of premature atherosclerosis. Hyperhomocysteinaemia constitutes as strong a risk factor for the development of the disease as either hypercholesterolaemia or smoking. Although the mechanism involved is unclear homocysteine exhibits prooxidative activity in vitro. This finding suggests that it may be involved in the oxidative modification of low density lipoprotein (LDL). In the current study hyperhomocysteinaemia was induced in eight domestic pigs by intermittent exposure to nitrous oxide for 4 weeks. At necropsy, cardiac tissue was removed and malondialdehyde (MDA) and the unsaturated fatty acid content were measured and compared with values obtained from air-breathing control animals. Nitrous oxide treated animals had significantly higher tissue concentrations of MDA than the controls. There was also a reduction in the contribution of linoleic and linolenic acids to the total fatty acid content of heart. The hyperhomocysteinaemic animals also had a significantly higher iron concentration in the heart than controls. Hyperhomocysteinaemia was associated with elevations in tissue iron stores and increased in vivo lipid peroxidation.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry Department, Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Young
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Molloy
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Weir
authors.forename: D G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D013766:5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000378:metabolism*; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood* / Q000187:drug effects; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D011897:Random Allocation; D012307:Risk Factors; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D006710:Homocysteine; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D007501:Iron; D013766:5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase; D009609:Nitrous Oxide