Imbalance of endogenous homocysteine and hydrogen sulfide metabolic pathway in essential hypertensive children.
BACKGROUND
Hypertension is a common disease of the cardiovascular system. So far, the pathogenesis of primary hypertension remains unclear. The elaboration of its pathogenesis is an important topic in the field which calls for urgent resolution. The aim of this study was to probe into the metabolic imbalance of homocysteine (Hcy) and hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) in children with essential hypertension, and its significance in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.


METHODS
Twenty-five children with essential hypertension and 30 healthy children with normal blood pressure were enrolled in the study. The medical history was investigated and a physical examination was conducted on the subjects. Plasma Hcy content was examined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA). The plasma H(2)S level was detected by a modified method with a sulfide electrode. Data were presented as mean +/- standard deviation. The t test was applied to the mean values of both groups. Pearson linear correlation analysis was applied to the plasma Hcy and H(2)S as well as to the systolic pressure against the plasma H(2)S/Hcy ratio.


RESULTS
Plasma Hcy, an intermittent metabolite of the endogenous methionine pathway, was markedly increased but plasma H(2)S, a final product of this pathway was significantly decreased in hypertensive cases when compared with normal subjects ((Hcy: (12.68 +/- 9.69) micromol/L vs (6.62 +/- 4.79) micromol/L (t = 2.996, P < 0.01); H(2)S: (51.93 +/- 6.01) micromol/L vs (65.70 +/- 5.50) micromol/L) (t = -8.670, P < 0.01)). The ratio of plasma H(2)S/Hcy in children with hypertension was 5.83 +/- 2.91, while that of the control group was 11.60 +/- 3.30, and the difference is significant with a t = -6.610 and P < 0.01. A negative correlation existed between plasma Hcy and H(2)S concentrations, r = -0.379, P < 0.05. And a negative correlation was found between systolic blood pressure and the plasma H(2)S/Hcy ratio, r = -0.687, P < 0.05.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a metabolic imbalance of homocysteine and hydrogen sulfide in essential hypertensive children.
Chen
Li
L
Department of Pediatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, China.
Ingrid
Sumou
S
Ding
Ya-guang
YG
Liu
Ying
Y
Qi
Jian-guang
JG
Tang
Chao-shu
CS
DU
Jun-bao
JB
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000378:metabolism*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D013599:Systole
D006710:Homocysteine; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide