Abstract
Hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress may be strongly linked to hypertension, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. The present study was performed to investigate possible relationships among plasma total homocysteine, plasma 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (8-isoPG F2α: an index of oxidative stress), and membrane fluidity (a reciprocal value of membrane microviscosity) in hypertension. We measured the membrane fluidity of red blood cells (RBCs) in hypertensive and normotensive men using an electron spin resonance (ESR) and spin-labeling method. Membrane fluidity of RBCs was significantly decreased in hypertensive men compared with normotensive men. Plasma total homocysteine levels were significantly higher in hypertensive men than in normotensive men, and correlated with plasma 8-isoPG F2α. In contrast, plasma nitric oxide (NO)-metabolites (an index of endothelial function) were lower in hypertensive men than in normotensive men. The reduced membrane fluidity of RBCs was associated with increased total homocysteine and plasma 8-isoPG F2α levels and decreased plasma NO-metabolite levels. Multivariate regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for general risk factors, plasma total homocysteine and 8-isoPG F2α were significant determinants of membrane fluidity of RBCs, respectively. These results suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress with endothelial dysfunction might have a close correlation with impaired rheologic behavior of RBCs and circulatory disorders in hypertensive men.
Highlights
Evidence indicates that many cardiometabolic factors, including hyperhomocysteinemia, might have a pivotal role in the progression of hypertension, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases [1,2,3]
Multivariate regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for general risk factors, plasma total homocysteine and 8-isoPG F2α were significant determinants of membrane fluidity of red blood cells (RBCs), respectively. These results suggest that hyperhomocysteinemia and oxidative stress with endothelial dysfunction might have a close correlation with impaired rheologic behavior of RBCs and circulatory disorders in hypertensive men
The results showed that the order parameter (S) of RBC membranes in the electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra was significantly higher in hypertensive men than in normotensive men, indicating that membrane fluidity of RBCs was decreased in hypertension
Summary
Evidence indicates that many cardiometabolic factors, including hyperhomocysteinemia, might have a pivotal role in the progression of hypertension, atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases [1,2,3]. It has been shown that endothelium-dependent vasodilation was impaired in humans with elevated plasma homocysteine [4], suggesting that hyperhomocysteinemia could reduce the nitric oxide (NO)-availability and actively participate in the pathogenesis of vascular dysfunction. It is well recognized that oxidative stress might be associated with increased risk of vascular damage, cardiovascular diseases and the metabolic syndrome [5,6,7,8,9]. It was demonstrated that plasma concentration of 8-iso-PG F2α was significantly increased in subjects with essential hypertension compared with normotensive subjects [10,11,14]. It was shown that plasma 8-iso-PG F2α levels were elevated in patients with coronary artery disease, especially in those with hypertension [12,13]
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