Antioxidant activity of vitamin B6 delays homocysteine-induced atherosclerosis in rats

Elevated plasma homocysteine is a risk factor for atherosclerotic disease. In the present study, we have examined whether the oxidative stress due to a low level of vitamin B-6 accelerates the development of homocysteine-induced atherosclerosis in rats. First, the effect of homocysteine thiolactone intake (50 mg/kg per d) on vascular integrity, lipid peroxide concentration, endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) expression and biochemical profiles was examined at day 1, day 21 and day 42 (five rats per group). The histochemical staining of the rat aorta showed no change at day 1 and day 21, but the subendothelial space was observed to be enlarged in rat aorta at day 42 with exposure to homocysteine thiolactone. Expression of eNOS was observed in rat aorta at day 42, but not at day 1 and day 21. Serum lipid peroxide concentration and biochemical profiles including glucose cholesterol and triacylglycerol showed no change at any day. Second, the effect of homocysteine thiolactone intake in the presence and absence of vitamin B-6 on vascular integrity was examined at day 1 and day 14 (five rats per group). Aortic lesions were observed in vitamin B-6-deficient rat aorta at day 14 but not in vitamin B-6-supplemented rats. The expression of eNOS was also observed in vitamin B-6-deficient rat aorta at day 14. Serum lipid concentrations of the vitamin B-6-deficient group significantly increased compared with concentrations of the vitamin B-6-supplemented group, though serum concentration of homocysteine did not change between both groups. These results suggest that the oxidative stress caused by a low level of vitamin B-6 accelerates the development of homocysteine-induced atherosclerosis in rats.