Ablation of Nox4 results in lowered plasma homocysteine levels in mice.
This results from increased folate-independent remethylation of homocysteine.
As a consequence mice display reduced hepatic cysteine and glutathione.
Reduced glutathione levels render the mice susceptible to hepatotoxic agents.
Nox4 is a physiological regulator of partitioning of homocysteine metabolic flux.