Genetic variation in the dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 gene (DDAH1) is related to asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels, but not to endothelium-dependent vasodilation
Published online on July 26, 2013
Abstract
Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) is an endogenous inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase. The breakdown of ADMA is mainly governed by the activity of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAHs). We investigated if genetic variation in the DDAH1 and DDAH2 genes were related to ADMA and
In 1016 70-year-old participants of the population-based Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors (PIVUS) study (50% women), we measured endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDV) using the invasive forearm technique with acetylcholine given in the brachial artery and the brachial artery ultrasound technique with measurement of flow-mediated dilatation (FMD). Plasma
Several of the genotypes in the DDAH1 gene were highly significantly related to ADMA levels (p = 10–7 at best), but not to the
A close relationship was seen between SNPs in the DDAH1, but not DDAH2, gene and ADMA levels. However, variation in those genes was not related to measures of EDV in this elderly population.