Homocysteine binds copper and induces COX deficiency and apoptosis in different neuron-like cell culture models preventable by copper supplementation

Objective: Severe hyperhomocysteinemia in children with hereditary homocystinuria often presents with a variety of neurological symptoms like mental retardation and seizures, and mild hyperhomocysteinemia has been associated with neurological impairment of the elderly. The causative link of hyperhomocysteinemia and neurological dysfunction is unknown. Methods: We investigated the mechanisms of homocysteine (HCys) neurotoxicity in rat dopaminergic pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, human neuroblastoma (SHSY) cells and primary rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGN). Results: HCys dose-dependently induced apoptotic cell…