Morphological and Functional Remodeling of the Ischemic Heart Correlates With Homocysteine Levels

Authors

Attila Cziraki, Heart Institute, Medical School and Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary.
Zoltan Nemeth, Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary.
Sandor Szabados, Heart Institute, Medical School and Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary.
Tamas Nagy, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pecs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary.
Márk Szántó, Heart Institute, Medical School and Szentágothai Research Centre, University of Pecs, 7624 Pecs, Hungary.
Csaba Nyakas, Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary.
Akos Koller, Department of Morphology and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Semmelweis University, 1088 Budapest, Hungary.

Author Type(s)

Faculty

Journal Title

Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-14-2023

Department

Physiology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Homocysteine (Hcy) is involved in various methylation processes, and its plasma level is increased in cardiac ischemia. Thus, we hypothesized that levels of homocysteine correlate with the morphological and functional remodeling of ischemic hearts. Thus, we aimed to measure the Hcy levels in the plasma and pericardial fluid (PF) and correlate them with morphological and functional changes in the ischemic hearts of humans. METHODS: Concentration of total homocysteine (tHcy) and cardiac troponin-I (cTn-I) of plasma and PF were measured in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery ( = 14). Left-ventricular (LV) end-diastolic diameter (LVED), LV end-systolic diameter (LVES), right atrial, left atrial (LA) area, thickness of interventricular septum (IVS) and posterior wall, LV ejection fraction (LVEF), and right ventricular outflow tract end-diastolic area (RVOT EDA) of CABG and non-cardiac patients (NCP; = 10) were determined by echocardiography, and LV mass was calculated (cLVM). RESULTS: Positive correlations were found between Hcy levels of plasma and PF, tHcy levels and LVED, LVES and LA, and an inverse correlation was found between tHcy levels and LVEF. cLVM, IVS, and RVOT EDA were higher in CABG with elevated tHcy (>12 µM/L) compared to NCP. In addition, we found a higher cTn-I level in the PF compared to the plasma of CABG patients (0.08 ± 0.02 vs. 0.01 ± 0.003 ng/mL, < 0.001), which was ~10 fold higher than the normal level. CONCLUSIONS: We propose that homocysteine is an important cardiac biomarker and may have an important role in the development of cardiac remodeling and dysfunction in chronic myocardial ischemia in humans.

Recommended Citation

Cziraki, A., Nemeth, Z., Szabados, S., Nagy, T., Szántó, M., Nyakas, C., & Koller, A. (2023). Morphological and Functional Remodeling of the Ischemic Heart Correlates With Homocysteine Levels. Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease, 10 (3). https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd10030122