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Redox Status of Plasma Homocysteine and Related Aminothiols in Smoking and Nonsmoking Young Adults,

¹ Dept. of Surg., Karolinska Hosp., Stockholm, Sweden.;
² Dept. of Clin. Chem., Central Hosp. in Rogaland, Stavanger, Norway;
³ Dept. of Clin. Biol., Div. of Pharmacol., Univ. of Bergen, Haukeland Hosp., Bergen, Norway;
⁴ Dept. of Epidemiol., Inst. of Environ. Med., Karolinska Inst., and Div. of Cardiovasc. Med., Dept. of Med., Karolinska Hosp., Stockholm, Sweden;
^a corresponding author: fax 619-534-2005, e-mail cbergmark@ucsd.edu

Cigarette smoking is a dominant risk factor for atherosclerotic vascular disease. Moderate increase of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is also associated with various forms of vascular disease (1). Several genetic and nutritional factors, which interact in a complex manner, determine the concentration of plasma Hcy. On theoretical grounds one would suspect an indirect effect of smoking on Hcy metabolism, mediated by the effects on the cofactors for Hcy metabolism, vitamin B₁₂, B₆, and folate (2)(3). In a previous report we found current smoking to be associated with moderately increased Hcy in patients with premature peripheral atherosclerosis but not in control subjects (4).

Several mechanisms involving pro-oxidant properties, e.g., redox changes in glutathione, can explain why smoking contributes to atherosclerotic vascular disease (5)(6). Because of a previously found correlation with redox status of thiols related to glutathione (8), we hypothesized that smoking could interfere with the redox status of these thiols.

In the present pilot study we used a newly developed method (9) to investigate the redox status of plasma Hcy and related aminothiols in healthy young subjects, differing in current smoking habits. Possible interactions between smoking habits and cofactors for Hcy metabolism were also analyzed.

All 41 subjects—19 women and 22 men, mean age 26 years (range 20–33)—had completed a health declaration, and those with signs of cardiovascular disease had been excluded. Nineteen were nonsmokers and 22 current smokers. A nonsmoker was defined as a person who had never smoked or who had not smoked for at least 1 year. Current smokers consumed at least 10 cigarettes/day and had done so for at least 2 years; they were told not to change their daily smoking . . . [Full Text of this Article]

References

The following articles in journals at HighWire Press have cited this article:

				A. De Bree, W. M. M. Verschuren, D. Kromhout, L. A. J. Kluijtmans, and H. J. Blom Homocysteine Determinants and the Evidence to What Extent Homocysteine Determines the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease Pharmacol. Rev., December 1, 2002; 54(4): 599 - 618. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. d. Bree, W. M. M. Verschuren, H. J. Blom, and D. Kromhout Lifestyle Factors and Plasma Homocysteine Concentrations in a General Population Sample Am. J. Epidemiol., July 15, 2001; 154(2): 150 - 154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. El-Khairy, P. M Ueland, O. Nygard, H. Refsum, and S. E Vollset Lifestyle and cardiovascular disease risk factors as determinants of total cysteine in plasma: the Hordaland Homocysteine Study Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, December 1, 1999; 70(6): 1016 - 1024. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]