Novel pro-atherogenic molecule coupling factor 6 is elevated in patients with stroke: a possible linkage to homocysteine.
OBJECTIVE
Homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent predictor of stroke. Coupling factor 6 (CF6) is regulated by nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappaB) signaling which is activated by Hcy. We tested the hypothesis that CF6 is elevated with Hcy in stroke. We also examined the effect of vitamin treatment on CF6 and Hcy levels.


RESULTS
The 59 Japanese patients with a recent history of stroke were randomly assigned to a group without vitamin treatment (Group 1, n = 29) and to a group with treatment with both folic acid and vitamin B(12) for 2 months (Group 2, n = 30). The CF6 level was elevated in the patients with stroke compared with that in controls (n = 64) at admission. In a multiple regression model, the plasma CF6 level was weakly correlated to the total Hcy (tHcy) level. In Group 1, the plasma tHcy and CF6 levels were unchanged. In Group 2, however, they were both decreased, and there was a weak positive correlation between the decreases in plasma levels of CF6 and tHcy.


CONCLUSIONS
CF6 is elevated in patients with stroke independently of risk factors. Since Hcy and vitamin treatment affect CF6 levels in stroke, CF6 appears to be a novel molecule for the pathogenesis and treatment of stroke.
Osanai
Tomohiro
T
Department of Cardiology, Hirosaki University Graduate School of Medicine, Hirosaki, Japan. osanait@cc.hirosaki-u.ac.jp
Fujiwara
Naoto
N
Sasaki
Satoko
S
Metoki
Norifumi
N
Saitoh
Genta
G
Tomita
Hirofumi
H
Nishimura
Takashi
T
Shibutani
Shuji
S
Yokoyama
Hiroaki
H
Konta
Yoshiyuki
Y
Magota
Koji
K
Okumura
Ken
K
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D025261:Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases / Q000097:blood*; D010086:Oxidative Phosphorylation Coupling Factors / Q000097:blood*; D020521:Stroke / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014803:Vitamin B Complex / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D010086:Oxidative Phosphorylation Coupling Factors; D006710:Homocysteine; D014803:Vitamin B Complex; D005492:Folic Acid; C000628217:F(6) ATPase; D025261:Mitochondrial Proton-Translocating ATPases; D014805:Vitamin B 12