Serum Folate, MTHFR C677T Polymorphism and Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk

This study examined associations between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and serum folate concentrations with the risk of esophageal precancerous lesions （EPL） and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma （ESCC）. The highest quartile of serum folate concentration significantly decreased the risk of ESCC compared with the lowest quartile （0R=0.11; 95% CI, 0.04-0.33; P〈0.05）. MTHFR 677 C〉T polymorphism was associated with the risk of ESCC by using chi-square tests （P〈0.05）. For the CT genotype, the risk of ESCC significantly increased in study participants with low serum folate concentrations （〈26.92μg/L） compared with participants with high serum folate concentrations （〉26.92 μg/L） by using multinomial logistic regression models. The MTHFR genotype may further modify associations between serum folate concentrations and the risk of ESCC, but it was not significantly associated with the risk of EPL.

The combination of methylenehydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism screening and gastrointestinal tumor markers detection may be an early screening method for gastrointestinal cancer related to helicobacter pylori infection

Methyltetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR)is a key enzyme in folate metabolism,and its single nucleotide polymorphism(SNP)site C677T may be associated with gastrointestinal cancer.However,the relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and gastrointestinal tumor markers carcinoma embryonic antigen(CEA),carbohydrate antigen 199(CA199)and carbohydrate antigen 724(CA724)in Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)infection is not specified.This study aims to identify the association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and gastrointestinal tumor markers(CEA,CA199 and CA724)in H.pylori infection.The relationship between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and gastrointestinal tumor markers in 58 patients with H.pylori infection and 94 non-infected patients was studied.We found that TT genotype was a susceptibility factor of H.pylori infection,which was also associated with increased CEA and CA724 levels.Moreover,there was a negative additive interaction between MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism and CEA levels in H.pylori infection.Meanwhile,there were significant differences in CEA levels between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and H.pylori infection.The presence of T allele led to a decrease in CEA levels when ^(13)C urea breath test(^(13)C-UBT)was positive,while the presence of T allele led to an increase in CEA levels when ^(13)C-UBT was negative.Therefore,we suggest that healthy people should take MTHFR C677T polymorphism screening,combined with ^(13)C-UBT and gastrointestinal tumor markers detection,which can screen out the susceptible population of H.pylori,and help to detect gastrointestinal cancer in the early stage.

Effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine levels in patients with essential hypertension

Objective:To investigate the effect of enalapril on plasma homocysteine(Hcy) levels and the association of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T polymorphism with the changes of Hcy levels in response to enalapril among patients with essential hypertension.Methods:A total of 130 patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension were enrolled and enalapril was orally administered at a dose of 10 mg/d for eight weeks.Plasma Hcy levels were measured by denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC) at baseline and after eight weeks of treatment.Genotyping of MTHFR C677T polymorphism was performed by TaqMan probe technique.Results:Compared with baseline,plasma Hcy levels did not change significantly after eight weeks(P=0.81).Stratified by baseline Hcy levels,a significant increase in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.02) among those with Hcy <10 μmol/L was observed,in contrast to no significant changes in plasma Hcy levels(P=0.54) among those with Hcy ≥10 μmol/L.No significant association was observed between MTHFR C677T polymorphism and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril.Conclusions:Enalapril may cause an increase in plasma Hcy levels among the hypertensives with low baseline Hcy levels.There was no significant association between MTHFR C677T genotypes and changes in Hcy levels in response to enalapril among subjects with essential hypertension.