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Review
. 2020 Aug 12;8(9):4696-4707.
doi: 10.1002/fsn3.1818. eCollection 2020 Sep.

Cysteine and homocysteine as biomarker of various diseases

Tahniat Rehman  1 , Muhammad Asim Shabbir  1 , Muhammad Inam-Ur-Raheem  1 , Muhammad Faisal Manzoor  2 , Nazir Ahmad  3 , Zhi-Wei Liu  4 , Muhammad Haseeb Ahmad  3 , Azhari Siddeeg  5 , Muhammad Abid  6 , Rana Muhammad Aadil  1
Affiliations
Review

Cysteine and homocysteine as biomarker of various diseases

Tahniat Rehman et al. Food Sci Nutr. .

Abstract

Cysteine and homocysteine (Hcy), both sulfur-containing amino acids (AAs), produced from methionine another sulfur-containing amino acid, which is converted to Hcy and further converted to cysteine. This article aims to highlight the link between cysteine and Hcy, and their mechanisms, important functions, play in the body and their role as a biomarker for various types of diseases. So that using cysteine and Hcy as a biomarker, we can prevent and diagnose many diseases. This review concluded that hyperhomocysteinemia (elevated levels of homocysteine) is considered as toxic for cells and is associated with different health problems. Hyperhomocysteinemia and low levels of cysteine associated with various diseases like cardiovascular diseases (CVD), ischemic stroke, neurological disorders, diabetes, cancer like lung and colorectal cancer, renal dysfunction-linked conditions, and vitiligo.

Keywords: CVD; biomarker role; cysteine; diabetes; homocysteine; neurological disorders; vitiligo.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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