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| Author(s): |
Ana Claudia Morandi Aléssio
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | Campinas, SP. |
| Institution: | Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Ciências Médicas |
| Defense date: | 2008-08-26 |
| Examining board members: |
Joyce Maria Annichino Bizzacchi;
Sergio Paulo Bydlowski;
Antonio de Padua Mansur;
Erich Vinicius De Paula;
Cristina Pontes Vicente
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| Advisor: | Joyce Maria Annichino Bizzacchi |
| Abstract | |
This study evaluated the effect of controlled mild hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in the development of atherosclerosis using normal, apolipoprotein E-deficient (apoE-/-), LDL receptor-deficient (LDLR-/-), or hemophilia B mice. We quantified atherosclerotic lesions at the aortic sinus and analyzed endoplasmic reticulum (RE) stress by western-blot technique. Concentrations of folic acid and vitamin B12 were determined using radioimmunoassay and homocysteine (Hcy) plasma levels were determined using HPLC-MS/MS. Mice received diets enriched in methionine with low or high levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, and B6 (diets B and C, respectively), and diet only with low levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, and B6 (diet D), to induce mild HHcy. Mice that received diets B, C, and D presented Hcy levels of about 3 to 5 fold the concentration found in wild-type mice fed on standard rodent chow (diet A), representing the same proportional increase of mild HHcy defined in humans. Normal mice and hemophilia B mice did not develop atherosclerotic lesions, even in the presence of mild HHcy. However, normal mice fed on diet B for 24 weeks presented increases in protein Grp78 and Grp94 expressions, representing RE stress. The apoE-/- and LDLR-/- mice fed on diets B, C, and D for 8 and 20 weeks presented a progressive increase in arteriosclerotic lesions, compared to mice fed on diet A. The apoE-/- mice fed on diet B for 20 weeks presented a greater area of the lesion than mice fed on diets C and D. These results suggest that an interaction of risk factors may have a synergic or additive effect in the development of atherosclerosis. The apoE-/- mice fed on the diet enriched in folic acid, vitamin B12, and B6 (diet C) for 20 weeks showed a lower development of atherosclerotic lesions than apoE-/- mice fed on a diet with low levels these vitamins (diet B), both subjected to an overload of methionine. These results corroborated the protective effect of vitamins, particularly in the long term. As suggested in other studies, methionine may have a toxic effect on arterial vasculature, demonstrated in this study by greater lesions in the animal groups that presented this amino acid in the diet (group B vs group D). Since hemophilia B mice died very early, due to hemorrhage, the analysis of the results was compromised. We could only demonstrate that they did not develop atherosclerotic lesions with 8 weeks of exposure to diets, in spite of increase of Hcy levels (AU) | |