Evaluation of low molecular mass thiols content in carotid atherosclerotic plaques.
OBJECTIVE
Despite the evidence that both homocysteine and cysteine are important risk factors for vascular disease and atherosclerosis no information are reported about their effective amount in plaque and on the relationship with the other low molecular weight thiols.


METHODS
We used capillary electrophoresis to measure thiols in both carotid plaque specimens and plasma samples from 37 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy.


RESULTS
Pearson's correlation shows that intraplaque homocysteine, cysteine and cysteinylglycine levels are related to their plasma concentrations. The distribution of intraplaque GSH and Glu-Cys was higher than that of the same thiols in plasma, whereas the other thiols were significantly less prevalent in plaque than in plasma. Intraplaque haemoglobin and GSH levels were correlated, thus suggesting their common origin from erythrocytes lysis.


CONCLUSIONS
Data suggest that increased levels of intraplaque glutathione may induce important effects on plaque fate by perturbing the normal LMW thiol redox state.
Zinellu
Angelo
A
Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche, Università di Sassari, Italy; Istituto Nazionale Biostrutture e Biosistemi, Osilo, Italy. angelozinellu@libero.it
Lepedda
Antonio
A
Sotgia
Salvatore
S
Zinellu
Elisabetta
E
Scanu
Bastianina
B
Turrini
Franco
F
Spirito
Rita
R
Deiana
Luca
L
Formato
Marilena
M
Carru
Ciriaco
C
D000368:Aged; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008970:Molecular Weight; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*
D004151:Dipeptides; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D006710:Homocysteine; C028505:cysteinylglycine; D003545:Cysteine