Abstract
Mild hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy, clinically defined as less than 30 μmol/L) is an independent cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor, and is associated with many complications during pregnancy, such as preeclampsia (PE). The aim of this study was to assess the effect of long-term mild HHcy on cardiac metabolic function of multiparous rats. Female rats were mated 3 to 4 times and were fed with methionine in drinking water to increase plasma Hcy (2.9 ± 0.3 to 10.5 ± 2.3 μmol/L) until termination. This caused significant increase of heart weight/body weight (0.24 ± 0.01 to 0.27 ± 0.01 g/100 g) and left ventricle weight (0.69 ± 0.03 to 0.78 ± 0.01 g). Superoxide production was increased by 2.5-fold in HHcy hearts using lucigenin chemiluminescence. The ability of bradykinin and carbachol to regulate myocardial oxygen consumption (MVO2) in vitro was impaired by 59% and 66% in HHcy heart, and it was restored by ascorbic acid (AA), tempol, or apocynin (Apo). Protein expression of p22(phox) subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase was increased by 2.6-fold, but there were no changes in other NAD(P)H oxidase subunits, NOSs or SODs. Microarray revealed 1518 genes to be differentially regulated (P < 0.05). The mRNA level of NAD(P)H oxidase subunits, NOSs or SODs remained unchanged. In conclusion, long-term mild HHcy increases cardiac superoxide mainly through regulation of p22(phox) component of the NAD(P)H oxidase and impairs the ability of NO to regulate MVO2 in heart of multiparous mothers.