ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hyperhomocysteinemia is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. Previous reports showed that homocysteine damages mitochondrial gene expression, function and structure. In recent years, homocysteine and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content are reported to relate with insulin resistance. The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation of plasma homocysteine level and mitochondrial DNA content in peripheral blood. METHODS: The mtDNA content, homocysteine and insulin resistance parameters were measured in healthy women (n=60). Plasma homocysteine level was measured by ion-exchange chromatography method and the mtDNA content in peripheral blood was measured by real time PCR method using ABI Prism 7700 machine. RESULTS: Significant correlation was found between homocysteine and mtDNA content (r=-0.507, p<0.05). Homocysteine was correlated with age (r=0.397), cholesterol (r=0.327), LDL-cholesterol (r=0.318), apolipoprotein B (r=0.387), HbA1c (r=0.274) positively and folate (r=-0.262), apolipoprotein A1 (r=-0.293), VO2max (r=-0.332) negatively. Mitochondrial DNA content was correlated with age (r=-0.535), BMI (r=-0.397), cholesterol (r=-0.340), LDL-cholesterol (r=-0.319), apolipoprotein B (r=-0.367) negatively and apolipoprotein A1 (r=0.346), lactate (r=0.307), VO2max (r=0.308) positively. All correlations were statistically significant(p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In this study, plasma homocysteine level was related with mitochondrial DNA content negatively and these two factors are estimated to be concerned with insulin resistance.