Abstract
Homocysteine (HCy) is a sulphur-containing amino acid that correlates with several maladaptive health conditions, including an enhanced risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases. Detection of HCy and its potentially pathogenic metabolites are studied here for the first time, to the first of our knowledge, using Raman spectroscopy. This study shows that different HCy metabolites have distinct Raman spectra and that the limits of detection reach the sub-mM level for these compounds. This investigation paves the way for photonics–based approaches for detection of HCy–related fluids as predictive biomarkers of disease in blood, which would assist in early intervention for improved clinical outcomes.
Highlights
Homocysteine (HCy) is a sulphur–containing amino acid produced as a by–product of the S–adenosyl methionine cycle
The most critical step in the study was to determine whether the three metabolites had unique Raman spectra that could be readily distinguished from one another
Our primary objective was to determine whether key metabolites that have been shown to link HCy dysregulation to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease [2] have unique Raman spectra
Summary
Homocysteine (HCy) is a sulphur–containing amino acid produced as a by–product of the S–adenosyl methionine cycle. Normal plasma HCy levels are 5-15 μM. Elevated circulating levels of HCy (>15 μM) have been prospectively linked to an enhanced risk of cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease [2]. The metabolic disorder, homocysteinuria, occurs in individuals with homozygous null mutations in genes encoding either methyl tetrafolate reductase or cystathionine β–synthase. These patients have vastly elevated HCy levels in the range of 100–500μM [3] and present with a spectrum of symptoms including skeletal abnormalities [4], cardiovascular disease, ophthalmological abnormalities and neuropsychiatric disorders [5]. Intervention with a low-methionine diet and high dose folate and B vitamin therapy can halt, and reverse, a number of these symptoms
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