OBJECTIVES: Since moderate hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for vascular disease and physiological thiol compounds mediate Cu2+- and Fe3+-dependent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, we have studied the total plasma concentrations of thiol compounds including methionine as precursor of homocysteine in rheumatoid arthritis patients, in which the high mortality found is associated with cardiovascular disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-eight women with rheumatoid arthritis and 25 age-matched control women were studied. Plasma was used to measure thiol compounds and amino acids by HPLC. RESULTS: Rheumatoid arthritis patients showed significantly higher levels than healthy controls of total plasma homocysteine (17.3 +/- 7.8 vs. 7.6 +/- 1.9; p <0.001), cysteine (293 +/- 61 vs. 201 +/- 45; p < 0.001), cysteinglycine (32.7 +/- 8.3 vs. 22.3 +/- 4.7; p < 0.001) and methionine (25 +/- 9 vs. 18 +/- 3; p < 0.01), whereas total glutathione levels were not increased (4.7 +/- 2.0 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: The increased levels of thiol compounds found in rheumatoid. arthritis patients may be implicated in the increased incidence of cardiovascular disease found in these patients by means of the toxic effect of homocysteine on endothelium and the increased susceptibility of LDL to oxidation by increased plasma amounts of thiol compounds such as cysteine.
OBJECTIVES: Since moderate hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for vascular disease and physiological thiol compounds mediate Cu2+- and Fe3+-dependent low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, we have studied the total plasma concentrations of thiol compounds including methionine as precursor of homocysteine in rheumatoid arthritispatients, in which the high mortality found is associated with cardiovascular disease. DESIGN AND METHODS: Thirty-eight women with rheumatoid arthritis and 25 age-matched control women were studied. Plasma was used to measure thiol compounds and amino acids by HPLC. RESULTS:Rheumatoid arthritispatients showed significantly higher levels than healthy controls of total plasma homocysteine (17.3 +/- 7.8 vs. 7.6 +/- 1.9; p <0.001), cysteine (293 +/- 61 vs. 201 +/- 45; p < 0.001), cysteinglycine (32.7 +/- 8.3 vs. 22.3 +/- 4.7; p < 0.001) and methionine (25 +/- 9 vs. 18 +/- 3; p < 0.01), whereas total glutathione levels were not increased (4.7 +/- 2.0 vs. 4.1 +/- 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: The increased levels of thiol compounds found in rheumatoid. arthritispatients may be implicated in the increased incidence of cardiovascular disease found in these patients by means of the toxic effect of homocysteine on endothelium and the increased susceptibility of LDL to oxidation by increased plasma amounts of thiol compounds such as cysteine.
Authors: Rogelio Palomino-Morales; Carlos Gonzalez-Juanatey; Tomas R Vazquez-Rodriguez; Luis Rodriguez; Jose A Miranda-Filloy; Benjamin Fernandez-Gutierrez; Javier Llorca; Javier Martin; Miguel A Gonzalez-Gay Journal: Arthritis Res Ther Date: 2010-04-26 Impact factor: 5.156
Authors: Refael Segal; Yehuda Baumoehl; Ori Elkayam; David Levartovsky; Irena Litinsky; Daphna Paran; Irena Wigler; Beni Habot; Arthur Leibovitz; Ben Ami Sela; Dan Caspi Journal: Rheumatol Int Date: 2003-04-29 Impact factor: 2.631
Authors: Y Berkun; D Levartovsky; A Rubinow; H Orbach; S Aamar; T Grenader; I Abou Atta; D Mevorach; G Friedman; A Ben-Yehuda Journal: Ann Rheum Dis Date: 2004-10 Impact factor: 19.103