Possible Interaction: Homocysteine and Insulin

“Recent studies have demonstrated that under diabetic conditions, the catabolism of homocysteine was enhanced by transcriptional regulation of hepatic cystathionine beta-synthase and these changes were prevented by treatment with insulin.”

“RESULTS Patients were divided into the following subgroups based on quartiles of serum HCY levels: Group Q1: <17.03 µmol/L; Group Q2: 17.03-…/L. The levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2 h postprandial blood glucose (2hPBG), glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), fasting C-peptide and fasting in ulin in … le…).”

“ Insulin reduces plasma homocysteine and raises methyl group supply.”

“Chronic HHcy induces coronary endothelial injury, and homocysteine (Hcy) inhibits insulin sensitivity by inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress in adipose tissue.”

“When cells were exposed to elevated insulin and glucose, homocysteine remethylation was enhanced, which consequently increased intracellular adoMet concentrations by inducing adoMet synthase activity.”

“ Homocysteine dose-dependently inhibited insulin release at moderate and stimulatory glucose concentrations.”

“In vitro, insulin reduces hepatic catabolism of homocysteine by inhibiting liver transsulfuration.”

“Several widely used drugs, such as lipid-lowering drugs (like fibrates and niacin) or oral hypoglycemic drugs (like metformin), insulin , drugs used in rheumatoid arthritis, and anticonvulsants cause elevated tHcy concentrations.”

“By use of plasma enrichments, insulin decreased methionine rate of appearance (Ra; both methyl- and carbon Ra) by 25% (P < 0.003 vs. basal) and methionine disposal into proteins by 50% (P < 0.0005), whereas it increased homocysteine clearance by approximately 70% (P < 0.025).”

“In conclusion, insulin increases homocysteine clearance in vivo and may thus prevent homocysteine accumulation in body fluids.”

“Fasting tHcy concentrations were significantly higher in the lower quartile of insulin concentration than in the upper quartile (27.7+/-12.7 vs 15.9+/-9.5, P=0.01).”

“There was a positive relationship between tHcy and LDL-cholesterol (r=0.34, P=0.03) and a significant negative correlation between tHcy and insulin (r=-0.38, P=0.01).”