title: Disturbed ratio of erythrocyte and plasma S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine in peripheral arterial occlusive disease.
abstract: Altered homocysteine metabolism associated with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) may lead to impairment of vital methylation reactions through accumulation of S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) as well as through alteration of the ratio S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)/AdoHcy. We determined AdoMet, AdoHcy, their ratio, and homocysteine in plasma as well as AdoMet, AdoHcy, and their ratio in erythrocytes of 61 patients with PAOD (age 49-93) and 50 healthy controls (age 41-87). Geometric mean values of plasma homocysteine, AdoMet, and AdoHcy were significantly increased in patients compared with controls (15.5 vs. 10.4 micromol/l**; 107 vs. 52.3* nmol/l; 55. 0 vs. 23.1** nmol/l, respectively; *P<0.01, **P<0.001), while the ratio of AdoMet/AdoHcy was decreased in patients (1.92 vs. 2.52*). In erythrocytes patients exhibited increased levels of AdoHcy compared with controls (309 vs. 205 nmol/l**) whereas AdoMet (3351 vs. 3732 nmol/l*) and the ratio of AdoMet/AdoHcy (11.8 vs. 19.1**) were decreased. The odds ratio (OR) for developing PAOD with decreased AdoMet/AdoHcy ratio after adjustment for kidney function was significant for erythrocyte levels < or =14.2 (OR, 7.1 (6.9-7.2, 95% CI). In addition, hematocrit levels were found to be significantly decreased in patients versus controls (0.35 vs. 0.42 l/l**) and were significantly correlated with the ratio of AdoMet/AdoHcy in erythrocytes of the patients. Since the ratio of AdoMet/AdoHcy is closely linked with the activity of numerous enzymatic methylation reactions, these results suggest that methylation may be impaired in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Metabolic Unit, University Children's Hospital Basel, (UKBB), Romergasse 8, CH-4005, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Loehrer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tschöpl
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Angst
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Litynski
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jäger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fowler
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Haefeli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006400:Hematocrit; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012016:Reference Values; D012435:S-Adenosylhomocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D012436:S-Adenosylmethionine; D012435:S-Adenosylhomocysteine