title: Dimethylglycine accumulates in uremia and predicts elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for atherosclerosis that is common in chronic renal failure (CRF), but its cause is unknown. Homocysteine metabolism is linked to betaine-homocysteine methyl transferase (BHMT), a zinc metalloenzyme that converts glycine betaine (GB) to N,N dimethylglycine (DMG). DMG is a known feedback inhibitor of BHMT. We postulated that DMG might accumulate in CRF and contribute to hyperhomocysteinemia by inhibiting BHMT activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma and urine concentrations of GB and DMG were measured in 33 dialysis patients (15 continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis and 18 hemodialysis), 33 patients with CRF, and 33 age-matched controls. Concentrations of fasting plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), red cell and serum folate, vitamins B(6) and B(12), serum zinc, and routine biochemistry were also measured. Groups were compared, and determinants of plasma tHcy were identified by correlations and stepwise linear regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma DMG increased as renal function declined and was twofold to threefold elevated in dialysis patients. Plasma GB did not differ between groups. The fractional excretion of GB (FE(GB)) was increased tenfold, and FED(MG) was doubled in CRF patients compared with controls. Plasma tHcy correlated positively with plasma DMG, the plasma DMG:GB ratio, plasma creatinine, and FE(GB) and negatively with serum folate, zinc, and plasma GB. In the multiple regression model, only plasma creatinine, plasma DMG, or the DMG:GB ratio was independent predictors of tHcy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DMG accumulates in CRF and independently predicts plasma tHcy concentrations. These findings suggest that reduced BHMT activity is important in the pathogenesis of hyperhomocysteinemia in CRF.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Christchurch Hospital, Christchurch, New Zealand. david.mcgregor@cdhb.govt.nz
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: McGregor
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Dellow
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lever
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: George
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Robson
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Chambers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D001622:Betaine / Q000097:blood; D050940:Betaine-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D008780:Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011736:Pyridoxine / Q000097:blood; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012521:Sarcosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000097:blood* / Q000652:urine; D014511:Uremia / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy / Q000652:urine; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D001622:Betaine; C025138:dimethylglycine; D005492:Folic Acid; D003404:Creatinine; D008780:Methyltransferases; C494548:BHMT protein, human; D050940:Betaine-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase; D015032:Zinc; D011736:Pyridoxine; D014805:Vitamin B 12; D012521:Sarcosine