Homocysteine contributes to atherogenic transformation of the aorta in rabbits in the absence of hypercholesterolemia

Oksana Tehlivets*, Gunter Almer, Markus S. Brunner, Margarete Lechleitner, Gerhard Sommer, Dagmar Kolb, Gerd Leitinger, Clemens Diwoky, Heimo Wolinski, Hansjörg Habisch, Peter Opriessnig, Francesca Bogoni, Dominique Pernitsch, Maria Kavertseva, Benjamin Bourgeois, Jelena Kukilo, Yuriy G. Tehlivets, Andreas N. Schwarz, Thomas Züllig, Vladimir BubaloSilvia Schauer, Andrea Groselj-Strele, Gerald Hoefler, Gerald N. Rechberger, Markus Herrmann, Kathrin Eller, Alexander R. Rosenkranz, Tobias Madl, Saša Frank, Gerhard A. Holzapfel, Dagmar Kratky, Harald Mangge, Gerd Hörl

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Atherosclerosis, the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, cannot be sufficiently explained by established risk factors, including cholesterol. Elevated plasma homocysteine (Hcy) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis and is closely linked to cardiovascular mortality. However, its role in atherosclerosis has not been fully clarified yet. We have previously shown that rabbits fed a diet deficient in B vitamins and choline (VCDD), which are required for Hcy degradation, exhibit an accumulation of macrophages and lipids in the aorta, aortic stiffening and disorganization of aortic collagen in the absence of hypercholesterolemia, and an aggravation of atherosclerosis in its presence. In the current study, plasma Hcy levels were increased by intravenous injections of Hcy into balloon-injured rabbits fed VCDD (VCDD+Hcy) in the absence of hypercholesterolemia. While this treatment did not lead to thickening of aortic wall, intravenous injections of Hcy into rabbits fed VCDD led to massive accumulation of VLDL-triglycerides as well as significant impairment of vascular reactivity of the aorta compared to VCDD alone. In the aorta intravenous Hcy injections into VCDD-fed rabbits led to fragmentation of aortic elastin, accumulation of elastin-specific electron-dense inclusions, collagen disorganization, lipid degradation, and autophagolysosome formation. Furthermore, rabbits from the VCDD+Hcy group exhibited a massive decrease of total protein methylated arginine in blood cells and decreased creatine in blood cells, serum and liver compared to rabbits from the VCDD group. Altogether, we conclude that Hcy contributes to atherogenic transformation of the aorta not only in the presence but also in the absence of hypercholesterolemia.

Original languageEnglish
Article number117244
JournalBiomedicine and Pharmacotherapy
Volume178
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2024

Keywords

  • Atherosclerosis
  • B vitamins
  • Choline
  • Homocysteine
  • Rabbits

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Pharmacology

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