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Genetic polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase G1793A, hyperhomocysteinemia, and folate deficiency correlate with ulcerative colitis in central China
Author(s) -
Jiang Yi,
Zhao Jie,
Jiang Ting,
Ge Liuqing,
Zhou Feng,
Chen Zhitao,
Lei Yuan,
Huang Sha,
Xia Bing
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
journal of gastroenterology and hepatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.214
H-Index - 130
eISSN - 1440-1746
pISSN - 0815-9319
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1746.2010.06286.x
Subject(s) - methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase , medicine , hyperhomocysteinemia , ulcerative colitis , gastroenterology , reductase , homocysteine , genetics , genotype , gene , enzyme , biochemistry , biology , disease
Background and Aims: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) encoding genes were associated with ulcerative colitis in Chinese in our previous study. We further studied association of a new polymorphism of MTHFR G1793A with ulcerative colitis and assessed relationship of this polymorphism with hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy, ≥ 15 mmol/L) and deficiency of folate (≤ 7 nmol/L) and vitamin B 12 (≤ 150 pmol/L) in a cohort of patients with ulcerative colitis in central China. Methods: A total of 252 patients and 654 healthy controls were recruited. Polymorphism of MTHFR G1793A was examined using a polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Plasma levels of homocysteine (Hcy), folate and vitamin B 12 were determined by enzymatic cycling assay and corpuscle immune chemiluminescence assay, respectively. Results: Frequencies of alleles and genotypes in MTHFR G1793A gene differed significantly between ulcerative colitis patients and the healthy controls (20.83% vs 10.47%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.703–2.972, P = 0.0006; 40.48% vs 19.88%, 95% CI: 1.997–3.761, P = 0.0002, respectively). Plasma Hcy levels were higher and folate and vitamin B 12 concentrations were lower in the patients than in the healthy controls (21.72 ± 6.59 vs 12.47 ± 5.02, 95% CI: −10.93–−7.58, P < 0.0001; 11.25 ± 6.19 vs 15.28 ± 7.72, 95% CI: 2.03–6.04; P < 0.001; 322.81 ± 128.47 vs 442.59 ± 129.36, 95% CI: 62.61–136.95, P < 0.0001, respectively). HHcy and folate deficiency were more prevalent in patients with ulcerative colitis (45.32% vs 26.17%, 95% CI: 1.285–4.378, P = 0.005; 30.68% vs 13.0%, 95% CI: 1.416–6.197, P = 0.003, respectively). Conclusions: MTHFR G1793A gene polymorphism, HHcy, folate deficiency and low vitamin B 12 concentration were associated with ulcerative colitis in central China. Our findings demonstrate that the Hcy‐related gene and metabolites are involved in pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis.