Relationships of Plasma Homocysteine Concentration and Oxidative Stress Markers in Korean Collage Students

Jung Shin Kim; Eunju Park; Hyesun Min; Myung-Hee Kang

doi:10.4163/kjn.2010.43.5.443

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Kim, Park, Min, and Kang: Relationships of Plasma Homocysteine Concentration and Oxidative Stress Markers in Korean Collage Students

Research Article

Korean Journal of Nutrition

Korean Journal of Nutrition 2010; 43(5): 443-452.

Published online: 31 October 2010

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4163/kjn.2010.43.5.443

Relationships of Plasma Homocysteine Concentration and Oxidative Stress Markers in Korean Collage Students

Jung Shin Kim¹, Eunju Park², Hyesun Min¹, Myung-Hee Kang¹

¹Department of Food and Nutrition, Daeduk Valley Campus, Hannam University, Daejeon 305-811, Korea.

²Department of Food and Nutrition, Kyungnam University, Masan 631-701, Korea.

To whom correspondence should be addressed. (mhkang@hnu.kr)

Received 10 September 2010 Revised 16 September 2010 Accepted 28 September 2010

Abstract

Elevated plasma concentration of total homocysteine (ptHcy) is known as an independent risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and oxidative stress is also commonly implicated in CVD. An association between ptHcy and oxidative stress has recently been suggested. The study objective is to examine the relationship between ptHcy and oxidative stress markers in 103 healthy college students (62 males and 41 females). Plasma levels of ptHcy, oxidative stress markers (conjugated diene, erythrocyte catalase, TRAP, lymphocyte DNA damage), antioxidant vitamins (α-tocopherol, γ-tocopherol, carotenoids), and lipid parameters (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL cholesterol) were determined. The results show that the concentration of ptHcy was significantly higher in male subjects (22.17 ± 2.14 µmole/L) than in female subjects (12.28 ± 0.45 µmole/L). There was a negative association between ptHcy and plasma β-carotene in male subjects (p < 0.05), but no correlation between ptHcy and other plasma antioxidant vitamin levels in either gender. However, there were the negative correlations between ptHcy and plasma α-carotene or β-carotene, and a positive correlation between ptHcy and lymphocyte DNA damage. A significantly low level of α-carotene or β-carotene was found in male subjects with elevated ptHcy (≥ 15 µmol/L), as compared to those with lower plasma homocysteine. These study results confirmed the views on the association between plasma homocysteine and oxidative stress markers in humans and support the hypothesis that homocysteine promotes the oxidative environment by counteracting the antioxidant defense mechanism.

Keywords: plasma homocysteine, oxidative stress, plasma β-carotene, lymphocyte DNA damage, college students

Figures and Tables

Table 1

HPLC apparatus and conditions

Table 2

Characteristics of the subjects by sex (mean ± SE; n = 103)

1) The average tar content of the cigarettes smoked by volunteers in the range of 6.0 - 7.0 mg/cigarette 2) Pack-years = (cigarettes smoked/day) × years smoked/20 3) Data is not available

Table 3

Plasma total homocysteine, lipid profiles, and conjugated diene concentration of the subjects by sex (Mean ± SE; n = 103)

^*: p < 0.05, ^**: p < 0.01

Table 4

Plasma concentration of antioxidant vitamins, TRAP, erythrocyte catalase activity, and lymphocyte DNA damage of the subject by sex (Mean ± SE; n = 103)

^*: p < 0.05, ^**: p < 0.01

Table 5

Correlation coefficients between plasma homocysteine concentration and antioxidant parameters of the subjects

^*: p < 0.05, ^**: p < 0.01

Table 6

Plasma concentations of antioxidants, congugated diene, erythrocyte catalase and lymphocyte DNA damage in regard to hyperhomocysteinemia by sex (mean ± SE; n = 103)

^*: p < 0.05

Notes

This research was supported by grants of the Hannam University in 2010.

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