The relationship between ox-LDL and homocysteine thiolactonase enzyme activity in atherosclerotic cases

Atherosclerosis and related myocardial infarction, brain strokes and peripheral vascular diseases are life threatening complications. Today many factors that contribute to atherosclerosis are identified. And researches are still in progress on the molecules to prevent and treat atherosclerosis. Ox-LDL is the fundamental molecule about the progress and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. And also increase of plasma homosistein level is a contributing risk factor for atherosclerosis. HDL related PON1 enzyme have a protective role that protects LDL patricules against oxidative modification and also homocysteine thiolactonase have protective role in atherosclerosis that reduces toxic effects of homocysteine.In this study, 36 patients who were scheduled for angiography with angina pectosis diagnosis and 12 patients that had undergone coronary angiography were included. In these patients ox-LDL, PON and Hcy-tyolactonase enzyme activities were measured. Coronary atherosclerosis was evaluated with ?Gensini Scoring System?. The severity of coronary atherosclerosis was evaluated with the parameters that depend on sexuality, hyperlipidemia, diabetes and smoking.In our study, ox-LDL levels of patient group were higher than those of the control group (p<0.031) and homocysteine thiolactonase enzyme activity was significantly lower in patient group than the control group (p<0.041). There was no statistically significant difference between these two groups in terms of serum paraoxonase activity. There was negative correlation between homocysteine thiolactonase activity and age(r=-0.410, p<0.007). There was a positive correlation between serum homocysteine thiolactonase activity and serum paraoxonase activity in both groups (r=0.603, p<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between groups in terms of measured parameters depending on severity of coronay atherosclerosis, gender, diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking. There was significant statistically difference in paraoxonase enzyme activity between hyperlipidemic and non-hyperlipidemic patients in control group (p<0.03).According to our findings in this study, we can say that ox-LDL levels increase in the atherosclerotic process and hcy-thiolactonase enzyme activity decreases which acts as a protector against atherosclerosis. We think that this study will be helpful to other studies that examine the relation between ox-LDL, hcy-thiolactonase and lipid levels.