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Research progress on the role and mechanism of endothelial dysfunction in hyperhomocysteine-induced atherosclerosis

WU Cheng-Yan, DUAN Xu-Lei, WANG Li-Bo, WANG Xue-Hui^*

Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinxiang Medical University; Heart Center of Xinxiang Medical University, Xinxiang 453100, China

Abstract

Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) is considered to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, but the molecular mechanisms underlying its pathogenesis are not fully understood. Endothelial dysfunction is a key initiating factor in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, which is commonly observed in almost all HHcy-induced vascular diseases. HHcy promotes oxidative stress, inhibits nitric oxide production, suppresses hydrogen sulfide signaling pathway, promotes endothelial mesenchymal transition, activates coagulation pathways, and promotes protein N-homocysteination and cellular hypomethylation, all of which can cause endothelial dysfunction. This article reviews the specific links between HHcy and endothelial dysfunction, and highlights recent evidence that endothelial mesenchymal transition contributes to HHcy-induced vascular damage, with a hope to provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of HHcy-related vascular diseases.

Key words: hyperhomocysteinemia; endothelial dysfunction; endothelial mesenchymal transition; atherosclerosis

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 王学惠　　E-mail: 121045@xxmu.edu.cn

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2023.0063

Citing This Article：

WU Cheng-Yan, DUAN Xu-Lei, WANG Li-Bo, WANG Xue-Hui. Research progress on the role and mechanism of endothelial dysfunction in hyperhomocysteine-induced atherosclerosis. Acta Physiol Sin 2023; 75 (5): 703-713 (in Chinese with English abstract).