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Causes of hyperhomocysteinemia and its pathological significance

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Abstract

In the last 10 years, homocysteine has been regarded as a marker of cardiovascular disease and a definite risk factor for many other diseases. Homocysteine is biosynthesized from methionine through multiple steps and then goes through one of two major metabolic pathways: remethylation and transsulfuration. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a state in which too much homocysteine is present in the body. The main cause of hyperhomocysteinemia is a dysfunction of enzymes and cofactors associated with the process of homocysteine biosynthesis. Other causes include excessive methionine intake, certain diseases and side effects of some drugs. Hyperhomocysteinemia is a trigger for many diseases, such as atherosclerosis, congestive heart failure, age-related macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease and hearing loss. There are many studies showing a positive relationship between homocysteine level and various symptoms. We speculate that a high level of homocysteine can be the sole reason or an aggravating factor in numerous diseases for which causal links are not fully understood.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by a Grant of the Korean Health Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health & Welfare, Republic of Korea (HI14C2469).

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  1. Jihyun Kim, Hyunhee Kim, and Heewon Roh are equal contributors.

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  1. Ewha Institute for Global Pharmacy Leadership, College of Pharmacy, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 120-750, Republic of Korea

    Jihyun Kim, Hyunhee Kim, Heewon Roh & Youngjoo Kwon

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Kim, J., Kim, H., Roh, H. et al. Causes of hyperhomocysteinemia and its pathological significance. Arch. Pharm. Res. 41, 372–383 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-018-1016-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12272-018-1016-4

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