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Schwieren L, Jensen M, Schulz R, Lezius S, Laxy E, Milatz M, Thomalla G, Böger R, Gerloff C, Magnus T, Schwedhelm E, Choe CU. Homoarginine Associates with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Atrial Fibrillation and Predicts Adverse Events after Stroke. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1590. [PMID: 37511965 PMCID: PMC10381763 DOI: 10.3390/life13071590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Homoarginine is associated with cardio- and cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality. However, the underlying pathomechanisms remain elusive. Here, we evaluated the association of homoarginine with adverse events (i.e., death, stroke, and myocardial infarction) and carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in stroke patients. In the prospective bioMARKers in STROKE (MARK-STROKE) cohort, patients with acute ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) were enrolled. Plasma homoarginine concentrations were analyzed and associated with clinical phenotypes in cross-sectional (374 patients) and prospective (273 patients) analyses. Adjustments for possible confounders were evaluated. A two-fold increase in homoarginine was inversely associated with the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission, cIMT, and prevalent atrial fibrillation (mean factor -0.68 [95% confidence interval (CI): -1.30, -0.07], -0.14 [95% CI: -0.22, -0.05]; and odds ratio 0.57 [95% CI: 0.33, 0.96], respectively). During the follow-up (median 284 [25th, 75th percentile: 198, 431] days), individuals with homoarginine levels in the highest tertile had fewer incident events compared with patients in the lowest homoarginine tertile independent of traditional risk factors (hazard ratio 0.22 [95% CI: 0.08, 0.63]). A lower prevalence of atrial fibrillation and a reduced cIMT pinpointed potential underlying pathomechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Schwieren
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Märit Jensen
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Robert Schulz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Lezius
- Institute of Medical Biometry and Epidemiology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Elena Laxy
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Magalie Milatz
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Götz Thomalla
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Rainer Böger
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tim Magnus
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Edzard Schwedhelm
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
- German Centre for Cardiovascular Research (DZHK e.V.) Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Chi-Un Choe
- Department of Neurology, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, 20246 Hamburg, Germany
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Homoarginine (hArg) is an endogenous, nonproteinogenic amino acid. It is enzymatically synthesized from L-arginine and L-lysine. Low hArg concentrations appear to be a risk factor in the renal and cardiovascular systems. This review discusses advances in-vitro and in-vivo experimental and clinical research on hArg in health and disease. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies indicate that low circulating and low urinary concentrations of hArg are associated with morbidity and worse outcome. Although the biological activities of hArg remain still unexplored, hArg supplementation is intensely investigated as a strategy to increase hArg concentration to reach normal levels in cases of low hArg concentrations. The greatest changes in circulating hArg concentrations are observed during pregnancy and after delivery. In healthy adults, a daily dose of 125 mg hArg seems to be optimum to normalize circulating levels. Short-term supplementation of inorganic nitrate enhances hArg biosynthesis in healthy young men. Apart from hArg supplementation, dietary L-arginine and L-citrulline appear to be a promising alternative. SUMMARY Considerable progress has been made in recent years, but hArg remains still enigmatic. Further research is required to explore the biological activities of hArg. Supplementation of hArg or its precursors L-citrulline/L-arginine seem to be promising strategies to prevent and overcome altered hArg synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Tsikas
- Institute of Toxicology, Core Unit Proteomics, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
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Mokhaneli MC, Botha-Le Roux S, Fourie CMT, Böger R, Schwedhelm E, Mels CMC. L-homoarginine is associated with decreased cardiovascular- and all-cause mortality. Eur J Clin Invest 2021; 51:e13472. [PMID: 33320332 DOI: 10.1111/eci.13472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing evidence suggests that L-homoarginine, an endogenous analogue of the amino acid L-arginine, may have beneficial effects on vascular homeostasis. We examined whether L-homoarginine is associated with 10-year risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a black South African population. METHODS We included 669 black South African participants (mean age 59.5 years), 143 of whom died during the 10-year follow-up period. Mortality data were acquired via verbal autopsy. Plasma L-homoarginine (and other related markers) were analysed with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS Survivors had higher L-homoarginine levels compared with nonsurvivors (1.25 µM vs. 0.89 µM; P < .001). Multivariable Cox regression analyses revealed that higher plasma L-homoarginine predicted a reduction in 10-year cardiovascular (hazard ratio [HR] per SD increment, 0.61; 95% CI 0.50 to 0.75) and all-cause (hazard ratio [HR] per SD increment, 0.59; 95% CI 0.41 to 0.84) mortality risk. CONCLUSION Higher L-homoarginine levels are associated with reduced risk of 10-year cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. Regulation of L-homoarginine levels as a therapeutic target in the management of cardiovascular disease should be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maserame Cleopatra Mokhaneli
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Shani Botha-Le Roux
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.,MRC Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Carla Maria Theresia Fourie
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.,MRC Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Rainer Böger
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum fuer Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung E.V. (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Edzard Schwedhelm
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany.,Deutsches Zentrum fuer Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung E.V. (DZHK), Partner Site Hamburg/Kiel/Lübeck, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Catharina Martha Cornelia Mels
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.,MRC Research Unit for Hypertension and Cardiovascular Disease, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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Matjuda EN, Engwa GA, Sewani-Rusike CR, Nkeh-Chungag BN. An Overview of Vascular Dysfunction and Determinants: The Case of Children of African Ancestry. Front Pediatr 2021; 9:769589. [PMID: 34956981 PMCID: PMC8709476 DOI: 10.3389/fped.2021.769589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The balance between dilatory and constrictive factors is important as it keeps blood vessels in a homeostatic state. However, altered physiological processes as a result of obesity, hypertension, oxidative stress, and other cardiovascular risk factors may lead to vascular damage, causing an imbalance of vasoactive factors. Over time, the sustained imbalance of these vasoactive factors may lead to vascular dysfunction, which can be assessed by non-invasive methods, such as flow-mediated dilation, pulse wave velocity, flow-mediated slowing, retinal vessel analysis, peripheral vascular reactivity, and carotid intima-media thickness assessment. Although there is increasing prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (obesity and hypertension) in children in sub-Saharan Africa, little is known about how this may affect vascular function. This review focuses on vasoactive factors implicated in vascular (dys)function, highlighting the determinants and consequences of vascular dysfunction. It further describes the non-invasive methods used for vascular (dys)function assessments and, last, describes the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on vascular dysfunction in children of African ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edna N Matjuda
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Godwill Azeh Engwa
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Constance R Sewani-Rusike
- Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
| | - Benedicta N Nkeh-Chungag
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Walter Sisulu University PBX1, Mthatha, South Africa
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Arginine and Arginine/ADMA Ratio Predict 90-Day Mortality in Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest-Results from the Prospective, Observational COMMUNICATE Trial. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9123815. [PMID: 33255752 PMCID: PMC7760544 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9123815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/19/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: In patients with shock, the L-arginine nitric oxide pathway is activated, causing an elevation of nitric oxide, asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) levels. Whether these metabolites provide prognostic information in patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains unclear. (2) Methods: We prospectively included OHCA patients, recorded clinical parameters and measured plasma ADMA, SDMA and Arginine levels by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The primary endpoint was 90-day mortality. (3) Results: Of 263 patients, 130 (49.4%) died within 90 days after OHCA. Compared to survivors, non-survivors had significantly higher levels of ADMA and lower Arginine and Arginine/ADMA ratios in univariable regression analyses. Arginine levels and Arginine/ADMA ratio were significantly associated with 90-day mortality (OR 0.51 (95%CI 0.34 to 0.76), p < 0.01 and OR 0.40 (95%CI 0.26 to 0.61), p < 0.001, respectively). These associations remained significant in several multivariable models. Arginine/ADMA ratio had the highest predictive value with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.67 for 90-day mortality. Results for secondary outcomes were similar with significant associations with in-hospital mortality and neurological outcome. (4) Conclusion: Arginine and Arginine/ADMA ratio were independently associated with 90-day mortality and other adverse outcomes in patients after OHCA. Whether therapeutic modification of the L-arginine-nitric oxide pathway has the potential to improve outcome should be evaluated.
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