A. Meinitzer, C. Drechsler, A. Tomaschitz
2011
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Abstract
Abstract Homoarginine is a non-essential cationic amino acid, which is formed from lysine. In vitro and in vivo, homoarginine shows characteristics similar to arginine. Until recently, homoarginine has attracted little scientific interest. During the last decades it has been particularly used as an internal standard in amino acid analytics or as a tracer compound for nutrient utilization in intensive animal husbandry. Epidemiological investigations in two large independent cohorts, namely The German Diabetes Dialysis (4D) – Study and the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health (LURIC) – study have identified homoarginine as useful predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality. Yet, little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms which may underlie this association. This article summarizes the importance of homoarginine as prognostic markers and the possible effects which homoarginine may exert on the human organism.