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Key Documents

MAK354

Sigma-Aldrich

Homocysteine Assay Kit

sufficient for 100 fluorometric tests

Synonym(s):

Homocysteine Quantitation Kit

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About This Item

UNSPSC Code:
12161503
NACRES:
NA.84

usage

sufficient for 100 fluorometric tests

detection method

fluorometric

relevant disease(s)

cardiovascular diseases

General description

Homocysteine is a non-proteogenic amino acid synthesized intracellularly by removal of the N-methyl group from the essential amino acid methionine. Homocysteine is exported from cells into the blood, where it exists mainly as an oxidized disulfide species, either as a dimer or bound to cysteine residues of serum proteins. The reduced form of homocysteine (‘free′ homocysteine) can be metabolized into cysteine via the transsulfuration pathway; however, it can also undergo intramolecular cyclization, forming the highly reactive pro-oxidant homocysteine thiolactone. Subsequent N-homocysteinylation of protein lysine residues by the reactive thiolactone disrupts protein conformation, leading to formation of cytotoxic protein aggregates. Homocysteinylated proteins may also act as autoantigens, triggering arterial inflammation and atherosclerosis. Elevated plasma homocysteine concentration is a clinical biomarker for increased risk of cardiovascular disease, ischemic stroke and myocardial infarction. Severely elevated homocysteine levels (hyperhomocysteinemia) are correlated with a 4-fold increase in mortality due to heart attack and a 16-fold increase in the likelihood of recurrent stroke.

Features and Benefits

Compatible with high-throughput handling systems.

Suitability

Suitable for the determination of total homocysteine concentration in plasma or serum.

Principle

The Homocysteine Assay Kit allows for quantification of total homocysteine in biological fluids such as plasma and serum. The assay is based on the reduction of homocysteine disulfides to free homocysteine, which is cleaved by a homocysteine-selective enzyme, generating an intermediate product. The intermediate reacts with a probe solution to form a stable fluorophore that emits in the far-red spectrum (λex = 658 nm/λem = 708 nm).  The assay is not affected by physiological concentrations of other biological thiols (such as cysteine, methionine and glutathione), is high-throughput adaptable and can detect as low as 5 μM homocysteine.

Pictograms

Health hazardCorrosion

Signal Word

Danger

Hazard Statements

Hazard Classifications

Aquatic Chronic 3 - Eye Irrit. 2 - Met. Corr. 1 - Resp. Sens. 1 - Skin Irrit. 2

Storage Class Code

8A - Combustible corrosive hazardous materials

Flash Point(F)

Not applicable

Flash Point(C)

Not applicable


Certificates of Analysis (COA)

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