Homocysteine is positively associated with cytokine IL-18 plasma levels in coronary artery bypass surgery patients.
Homocysteine, cytokines (IL-18, IL-6, IL-8) are involved in vascular inflammation and coronary artery disease. Homocysteine influences endothelial IL-6 and IL-8 cytokine expression and release, however, an association between homocysteine and IL-18 has not been previously investigated in endothelial/smooth muscle cells and or in coronary artery disease. We report in 9 coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) patients a positive correlation r = 0.86 between homocysteine and IL-18 plasma levels (p < 0.05). Plasma IL-18 levels are significantly higher in those patients with elevated homocysteine compared to those with normal levels (p < 0.02; 153 +/- 19 pg/ml versus 116 +/- 14 pg/ml respectively). Our in vitro cell culture studies suggest that the source of IL-18 in CABG patients with elevated homocysteine is not from vascular smooth muscle or endothelial cells.
McLachlan
Craig Steven
CS
Department of Pharmacology, National University of Singapore, Singapore. reperfusion@hotmail.com
Chua
Wendy Chen-Nee
WC
Wong
Peter Tsun Hon
PT
Kah
Ti Lian
TL
Chen
Christopher
C
El Oakley
Reida Menshawe
RM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D020382:Interleukin-18; D006710:Homocysteine