Joint associations of folate, homocysteine and MTHFR, MTR and MTRR gene polymorphisms with dyslipidemia in a Chinese hypertensive population: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is a well-established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Serum lipids were affected by several gene polymorphisms, folate, homocysteine and other metabolite levels. We aim to investigate the effects of homocysteine metabolism enzyme polymorphisms (MTHTR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G) and their interactions with folate, homocysteine on serum lipid levels in Chinese patients with hypertension. METHODS: Participants were 480 hypertensive adults that enrolled in September to December 2005 from six different Chinese hospitals (Harbin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Beijing, Xi'an, and Nanjing). Known MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP methods. Serum folate was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay, homocysteine was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, serum lipids parameters were determined by an automatic biochemistry analyzer, low-density lipoprotein was calculated by Friedewald's equation. Unitary linear regression model was used to assess the associations of gene polymorphisms, folate and homocysteine on serum lipid profiles. Unconditional logistic regression model was applied to test the interactions of folate, homocysteine and gene polymorphisms on dyslipidemia. RESULTS: No correlations between gene polymorphisms and homocysteine on serum lipid profiles. Compared with normal folate patients, patients with low folate showed higher odds of hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 2.02, 95 % CI: 1.25-3.25, P = 0.004) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (OR = 1.88, 95 % CI: 1.07-3.28, P = 0.027). Each of four gene polymorphisms (MTHTR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G) combined with low folate showed higher odds of hypertriglyceridemia (P for trend: 0.049, 0.004, 0.007 and 0.005, respectively). MTHFR C677T and A1298C with low folate showed higher odds of low levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P for trend: 0.008 and 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Low folate status and homocysteine metabolism gene polymorphisms (MTHTR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G) may have a synergistic effect increased the incidence of dyslipidemia in Chinese hypertensive population.

Triplex tetra-primer ARMS-PCR method for the simultaneous detection of MTHFR c.677C>T and c.1298A>C, and MTRR c.66A>G polymorphisms of the folate-homocysteine metabolic pathway.

The folate-homocysteine metabolic pathway was shown to play an important role in several diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. The c.677C>T and c.1298A>C polymorphisms of the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, and c.66A>G of the Methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) gene are the most commonly investigated polymorphisms in the folate-homocysteine metabolic pathway. The currently used methods for the detection of the three polymorphisms are either slow and laborious or extremely expensive. In this paper, a new highly optimized method for the simultaneous detection of the three single nucleotide polymorphisms is described. The proposed method utilizes 12 primers in a single PCR reaction to detect the three polymorphisms simultaneously based on the principle of tetra-primer ARMS-PCR (also known as PCR-CTPP). The proposed method offers extremely fast, economical, and simple detection. Validation by PCR-RFLP showed 100% concordance in genotype assignment. The proposed method was successfully applied to a sample of the Syrian population (n=126), which was not previously genotyped for any of the three SNPs. The variant allele frequencies were found to be 31, 29, and 43% for the c.677C>T, c.1298A>C, and c.66A>G polymorphisms, respectively. The proposed method is the first to detect three SNPs in a single PCR reaction based on tetra-primer ARMS-PCR or PCR-CTPP. We suggest that the use of Betaine may play an important role in multiplex tetra-primer ARMS-PCR or PCR-CTPP based on its potential capacity to close the gap in melting temperature between different primers.

Relationship between methionine synthase, methionine synthase reductase genetic polymorphisms and deep vein thrombosis among South Indians.

BACKGROUND: The rationale behind this study was to examine the relationship between polymorphisms in genes that regulate remethylation of homocysteine to methionine, i.e., methionine synthase (MTR A2756G) and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR A66G), and risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in a South Indian cohort (163 DVT cases and 163 controls), as elevated homocysteine has been documented as an independent risk factor for DVT in the same cohort. METHODS: Plasma homocysteine analysis was carried out by reverse phase HPLC. The MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G genetic polymorphisms were detected using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. For statistical analyses, Fisher's exact test was used for categorical variables and Student's t-test and analysis of variance were used for continuous variables. RESULTS: The MTRR 66GG genotype was associated with a 2.74-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.73, 4.34] risk of DVT. The MTR A2756G polymorphism was not a risk factor. MTRR GG/MTR AG and MTRR GG/MTR GG genotypes cumulatively were found to increase the risk of DVT by 2.38-fold (95% CI: 1.43, 3.96). A positive association was observed between plasma homocysteine and the MTRR G allele, and the MTR G allele was shown to have an additive effect. The risk associated with the MTRR 66GG genotype was further increased in subjects compound heterozygous for methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) [odds ratio (OR): 3.46, 95% CI: 1.38, 8.63]. CONCLUSIONS: The MTRR 66GG genotype is a risk factor for DVT among South Indians. This risk is increased further in the presence of the MTHFR 677CT/1298AC genotype.

The many flavors of hyperhomocyst(e)inemia: insights from transgenic and inhibitor-based mouse models of disrupted one-carbon metabolism.

Mouse models that perturb homocysteine metabolism, including genetic mouse models that result in deficiencies of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, methionine synthase, methionine synthase reductase, and cystathionine beta-synthase, and a pharmaceutically induced mouse model with a transient deficiency in betainehomocysteine methyl transferase, have now been characterized and can be compared. Although each of these enzyme deficiencies is associated with moderate to severe hyperhomocyst(e)inemia, the broader metabolic profiles are profoundly different. In particular, the various models differ in the degree to which tissue ratios of S-adenosylmethionine to S-adenosylhomocysteine are reduced in the face of elevated plasma homocyst(e)ine, and in the distribution of the tissue folate pools. These different metabolic profiles illustrate the potential complexities of hyperhomocyst(e)inemia in humans and suggest that comparison of the disease phenotypes of the various mouse models may be extremely useful in dissecting the underlying risk factors associated with human hyperhomocyst(e)inemia.

Influence of methionine synthase (A2756G) and methionine synthase reductase (A66G) polymorphisms on plasma homocysteine levels and relation to risk of coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Elevated plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) is increasingly being recognized as a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD) and other defects. Recent genetic studies have characterized molecular determinants contributing to altered homocysteine metabolism. Our objectives were therefore to confirm the relationship of tHcy with CAD and to examine the importance of genetic influence on tHcy in the coronary angiograms and conventional cardiovascular risk factors recorded in 230 subjects. We also determined the genotype frequencies distribution of the A2756G transition of the B12-dependent methionine synthase (MTR) gene and the A66G mutation of the methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) gene. RESULTS: Patients with CAD (n=151) had significantly higher tHcy concentrations than control subjects (15.49 +/- 2.75 micromol/l vs. 11.21 +/- 3.54 micromol/l, P < 0.001). Hyperhomocysteinaemia (tHcy > or =15 micromol/l) was a risk factor for CAD [RR = 4.07, 95% CI: 2.21 - 7.47, P < 0.001]. The homocysteine concentrations were significantly different between smokers and non-smokers, at 15.63 +/- 3.10 vs. 12.45 +/- 3.84 micromol/l, P < 0.05. In addition, smokers with hyperhomocysteinaemia demonstrated a markedly increased risk of CAD (OR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.67 - 3.32, P < 0.05) compared with non-smokers with normal homocysteine.The 2756G and the 66G allele contribute to a moderate increase in homocysteine levels (P = 0.008 and P = 0.007, respectively), but not to CAD (P > 0.05). Combined MTR and MTRR polymorphisms, the 2756AG + 66AG and the 2756AG + 66GG were the combined genotypes that were a significant risk factor for having hyperhomocysteinaemia (14.4 +/- 2.8 micromol/l, OR = 2.75, IC 95% = 1.21 - 6.24, P=0.016 and 17.9 +/- 4.1 micromol/l, OR = 6.28, IC 95% = 1.46 - 12.1, P = 0.021, respectively). Statistic analysis using the UniANOVA test shows that these two polymorphisms have an interactive effect circulating homocysteine levels (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that moderately elevated tHcy levels are prevalent in our population and are associated with an increased risk for CAD. This study provides evidence that the MTR A2756G and MTRR A66G polymorphisms significantly influence the circulating homocysteine concentration. In addition, the MTR and MTRR genes may interact to increase the risk for having hyperhomocysteinaemia.

[Mutations of MTHFR, MTR, MTRR genes as high risk factors for neural tube defects]. / Analiza mutacji w genach MTHFR, MTR, MTRR w rodzinach ryzyka wad cewy nerwowej.

Neural tube defects (NTDs) have a polygenic background. There are numerous genes known to be high-risk genetic factors for NTDs. Ones of them are mutations of foliate metabolisms pathways genes. This paper shows the results of analysis of common mutations of MTHFR, MTR and MTRR genes. Results of screening mutations 2756A-->G and 66A-->G in MTR and MTRR genes respectively show that are might have an effect on NTDs incidence among the examined population. Analysis of data for the studied population does not prove the influence of mutations 677C-->T and 1298A-->C of MTHFR gene on NTDs.