Open AccessMethylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Polymorphisms, Folate, and Cancer Risk: A Paradigm of Gene‐Nutrient Interactions in Carcinogenesis
Author(s) -
Kim YoungIn
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
nutrition reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.958
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1753-4887
pISSN - 0029-6643
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2000.tb01863.x
Subject(s) - methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase , carcinogenesis , biology , genetics , gene , cancer , reductase , cancer research , bioinformatics , medicine , enzyme , biochemistry , allele
Recent epidemiologic studies suggest that common polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) with allele frequencies up to 35% in the general North American population may modulate cancer risk. In some cancers, folate and other nutrients involved in the MTHFR metabolic pathway appear to interact with MTHFR polymorphisms to further modify cancer risk. In carcinogenesis, MTHFR polymorphisms thus provide a paradigm of gene‐nutrient interactions, an emerging and important topic in the field ofnutritisn and cancer. Furthermore, MTHFR polymorphisms and MTHFR‐nutrient interactions provide an opportunity to identify an ideal target group of individuals, at high risk of developing cancer, for rational, effective, and safe chemoprevention using these nutrients.