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Archives of Physiology and Biochemistry
The Journal of Metabolic Diseases
Volume 112, 2006 - Issue 4-5
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Review

Arrhythmia and neuronal/endothelial myocyte uncoupling in hyperhomocysteinemia

, , , , , , , & show all
Pages 219-227 | Received 01 Jun 2006, Accepted 28 Aug 2006, Published online: 10 Oct 2008
 

Abstract

Elevated levels of homocysteine (Hcy) known as hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) are associated with arrhythmogenesis and sudden cardiac death (SCD). Hcy decreases constitutive neuronal and endothelial nitric oxide (NO), and cardiac diastolic relaxation. Hcy increases the iNOS/NO, peroxynitrite, mitochondrial NADPH oxidase, and suppresses superoxide dismutase (SOD) and redoxins. Hcy activates matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), disrupts connexin-43 and increases collagen/elastin ratio. The disruption of connexin-43 and accumulation of collagen (fibrosis) disrupt the normal pattern of cardiac conduction and attenuate NO transport from endothelium to myocyte (E-M) causing E-M uncoupling, leading to a pro-arrhythmic environment. The goal of this review is to elaborate the mechanism of Hcy-mediated iNOS/NO in E-M uncoupling and SCD. It is known that Hcy creates arrhythmogenic substrates (i.e. increase in collagen/elastin ratio and disruption in connexin-43) and exacerbates heart failure during chronic volume overload. Also, Hcy behaves as an agonist to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA, an excitatory neurotransmitter) receptor-1, and blockade of NMDA-R1 reduces the increase in heart rate-evoked by NMDA-analog and reduces SCD. This review suggest that Hcy increases iNOS/NO, superoxide, metalloproteinase activity, and disrupts connexin-43, exacerbates endothelial-myocyte uncoupling and cardiac failure secondary to inducing NMDA-R1.

Abbreviations
ADAM=

a disintegrin and metalloproteinase

ADMA=

asymmetric dimethyl arginine

AV=

aorta-venacava shunt

L-arg=

L-arginine

BH4=

tetrahydrobiopterin

BM=

basement membrane

CBS=

cystathionine beta synthatase

CHF=

chronic heart failure

DDAH=

dimethyl arginine hydrolase

DZA=

3-deazaadenosine

ECM=

extracellular matrix

EDRF=

endothelial-derived relaxing factor

EDHF=

endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factor

EE=

endocardial endothelial

EET=

epoxy-eicosatrienoic acid

E-M=

endothelial-myocyte

eNOS=

endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Hcy=

homocysteine

HETE=

20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid

HHcy=

hyperhomocysteinemia

LV=

left ventricle

MK=

MK-801

MMP=

matrix metalloproteinase

MT-MMP=

membrane type-MMP

MTHFR=

methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase

MVEC=

microvascular endothelial cells

NADPH=

nicotinamide adenosine diphosphate

NE=

norepinephrine

NMDA-R1=

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-1

nNOS=

neural nitric oxide synthase

PVC=

premature ventricle contraction

Redox=

reduction-oxidation

RNS=

reactive nitrogen species

ROS=

reactive oxygen species

SAHH=

S-adenosyl-homocysteine hydrolase

SAM=

S-adenosyl-methionine

SOD=

superoxide dismutase

TIMP=

tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase

t-PA=

tissue plasminogen activator

VF=

ventricular fibrillation

VT=

ventricular tachycardia

Q-RT-PCR=

quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction

WT=

wild type

Abbreviations
ADAM=

a disintegrin and metalloproteinase

ADMA=

asymmetric dimethyl arginine

AV=

aorta-venacava shunt

L-arg=

L-arginine

BH4=

tetrahydrobiopterin

BM=

basement membrane

CBS=

cystathionine beta synthatase

CHF=

chronic heart failure

DDAH=

dimethyl arginine hydrolase

DZA=

3-deazaadenosine

ECM=

extracellular matrix

EDRF=

endothelial-derived relaxing factor

EDHF=

endothelial-derived hyperpolarizing factor

EE=

endocardial endothelial

EET=

epoxy-eicosatrienoic acid

E-M=

endothelial-myocyte

eNOS=

endothelial nitric oxide synthase

Hcy=

homocysteine

HETE=

20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid

HHcy=

hyperhomocysteinemia

LV=

left ventricle

MK=

MK-801

MMP=

matrix metalloproteinase

MT-MMP=

membrane type-MMP

MTHFR=

methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase

MVEC=

microvascular endothelial cells

NADPH=

nicotinamide adenosine diphosphate

NE=

norepinephrine

NMDA-R1=

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-1

nNOS=

neural nitric oxide synthase

PVC=

premature ventricle contraction

Redox=

reduction-oxidation

RNS=

reactive nitrogen species

ROS=

reactive oxygen species

SAHH=

S-adenosyl-homocysteine hydrolase

SAM=

S-adenosyl-methionine

SOD=

superoxide dismutase

TIMP=

tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase

t-PA=

tissue plasminogen activator

VF=

ventricular fibrillation

VT=

ventricular tachycardia

Q-RT-PCR=

quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction

WT=

wild type

Notes

*This work was supported in part by NIH grant HL-71010, and HL-74185.

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