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Age and sex differences in plasma homocysteine, choline and betaine status in Seychellois children and young adults

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 September 2010

M. S. Barnes ,
A. McAfee ,
M. P. Bonham ,
E. M. McSorley ,
J. M. W. Wallace ,
G. J. Myers ,
P. W. Davidson ,
S. W. Thurston ,
C. F. Shamlaye  and
Per M. Ueland
...Show all authors
M. S. Barnes
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
A. McAfee
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
M. P. Bonham
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
E. M. McSorley
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
J. M. W. Wallace
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
G. J. Myers
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, USA
P. W. Davidson
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, USA
S. W. Thurston
Affiliation:
School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Rochester, USA
C. F. Shamlaye
Affiliation:
Ministry of Health, Seychelles
Per M. Ueland
Affiliation:
Section for Pharmacology, Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway
J. J. Strain
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Centre for Food and Health (NICHE), University of Ulster, Coleraine BT52 1SA, UK
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Abstract

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Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 69 , Issue OCE5: Irish Section Meeting, 16–18 June 2010, Nutrition – Getting the Balance Right in 2010 , 2010 , E381
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2010

Homocysteine is an amino acid that is converted to Met via the remethylation pathway which requires betaine and choline(Reference Zeisel and Blusztajn1). Elevated total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations may be an independent predictor of CVD and studies have shown that serum betaine and choline concentrations are inversely correlated with tHcy concentrations(Reference Velzing-Aarts, Holm and Fokkema2).

We have previously reported tHcy concentrations of pregnant Seychellois women(Reference Wallace, Bonham and Strain3); however, tHcy concentrations in other sub-groups from this population have not been investigated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess tHcy and plasma concentrations of related metabolites in children and young adults living in the Republic of Seychelles.

A total of 237 children aged 5 years and 512 young adults aged 19–20 years were recruited as part of the Seychelles Child Development Studies. Plasma tHcy, Met, free choline and betaine concentrations were assessed using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry by BeVital Laboratories, Bergen, Norway. Differences between the two age groups and between sexes were determined by independent samples t-test using logarithmically transformed values.

Plasma tHcy and Met concentrations were significantly higher and choline and betaine concentrations were significantly lower in young adults compared to 5-year-old children (all P<0.0001). Significant sex differences were observed: males had significantly higher concentrations of all metabolites than females; albeit these sex differences were only evident in the 19–20-year-old age group.

Results are median (5th, 95th percentiles) and are presented as μmol/l.

In conclusion, age and sex differences in plasma tHcy concentrations and related metabolites were evident in a group of children and young adults from Seychelles. These results concur with findings from previous studies which have observed significant sex differences in homocysteine metabolism but only in children older than 15 years(Reference Kerr, Livingstone and Bates4, Reference van Beynum, den Heijer and Thomas5). It is thought that increases in oestrogen protect against the accumulation of tHcy, possibly through different homocysteine remethylation rates(Reference Fukagawa, Martin and Wurthamnn6).

This work was supported by grants nos. PO1 ES01248, RO1 ES008442, 2 T 32 ES007271, PO ES01247, 5-R01-ES010219 and 2-T32-ES007271 from the US National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Institutes of Health, the Government of Seychelles and by the EU through its Sixth Framework Programme for RTD (contract no FOOD-CT-2006-016253).

References

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