• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2199-2206
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• 2012

Background: Our objective was to evaluate the MTHFR C677T-A1298C polymorphisms in patients with breast cancer and in individuals with no history of cancer, to compare the levels of genetic damage and apoptosis under folic acid (FA) deficiency between patients and controls, and to assess associations with breast cancer. Methods: Genetic damage was marked by micronucleated binucleated cells (MNBN) and apoptosis was estimated by cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN). PCR-RFLP molecular analysis was carried out. Results: The results showed significant associations between the MTHFR 677TT or the combined MTHFR C677T-A1298C and breast cancer risk (OR = 2.51, CI = 0.85 to 7.37, p = 0.08; OR = 4.11, CI = 0.78 to 21.8, p < 0.001). The MNBN from the combined MTHFR C677T-A1298C was higher and the apoptosis was lower than that of the single variants (p < 0.05). At 15 to 60 nmol/L FA, the MNBN in cases with the TTAC genotype was higher than controls (p < 0.05), whereas no significant difference in apoptosis was found between the cases and controls after excluding the genetic background. Conclusions: Associations between the combined MTHFR C677T-A1298C polymorphism and breast cancer are possible from this study. A dose of 120 nmol/L FA could enhance apoptosis in cases with MTHFR C677T-A1298C. Breast cancer individuals with the TTAC genotype may be more sensitive to the genotoxic effects of FA deficiency than controls.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2002

Objective : Previous studies have suggested that hyperhomocysteinemia and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR C677T) mutations are associated with increased risk of recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Recently, a second site polymorphism in MTHFR, 1298A-->C, which changes a glutamic acid into an alanine residue, was shown to be associated with a decreased enzyme activity. We tested whether the variant alleles of MTHFR C677T and A1298C are risk factor (biomarker) for RSA. Materials and Methods: We analyzed DNA from a case-control study in the Korean DNA was extracted from blood samples of 118 patients with RSA and 123 healthy fertile patients as the controls. MTHFR variant alleles were determined by a PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. Results: We found no evidence for an association between 677TT genotype and risk of RSA (OR=1.95, 95% CI=$0.84{\sim}4.50$, p=0.12). However, the MTHFR 1298AC (OR=0.36, 95% CI=$0.20{\sim}0.63$, p=0.0004) and 1298AC+CC (OR=0.35, 95% CI=$0.20{\sim}0.61$, p=0.0002) genotypes were lower among 118 RSA cases compared with 123 controls, conferring a 2.8-fold decrease in risk of RSA, respectively. Moreover, the combined genotypes of MTHFR 677CC/1298AC (OR=0.30, 95% CI=$0.10{\sim}0.88$, p=0.029) and 677CT/1298AC (OR=0.77, 95% CI=$0.60{\sim}0.99$, p=0.043) also showed significantly lower risk than those with MTHFR 677CC/1298AA type. Conclusion: MTHFR 1298AC, MTHFR 677CC/1298AC and 677CT/1298AC genotypes may represent genetic markers for the protection of RSA at least in Korean women.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.5449-5454
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• 2013

Background: A large variety of familiar and non-familiar lung carcinomas (LC) are caused by long term exposure to chemical carcinogens that are present in tobacco smoke. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of 5 thrombophilic germ-line mutations in patients with lung carcinomas. Materials and Methods:A total of 52 LC patients and 212 healthy controls from same population were analyzed for FV Leiden, factor V H1299R (R2), PAI-1, MTHFR C677T, MTHFR A1298C, ACE I/D, and Apo E genes and compared. Results: Overall, heterozygous and/or homozygous point mutations in FV Leiden Apo E2, PAI-1 and MTHFR C677T genes were associated with LC in the current cohort. There was no meaningful association between LC and ACE I/D gene markers. Conclusions: The current results showed that LC is related to combined thrombophilic gene mutations and individuals with homozygosity of 4G in PAI-1 and MTHFR C677T genes and heterozygosity of FV Leiden, Apo E4 genes have a germ-line risk for LC tumorigenesis.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.183-190
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• 2004

Objectives: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation are commonly associated with hyperhomocysteinemia, and through their defects in homocysteine metabolism, they have been implicated as a risk factor for recurrent spontaneous abortion. Recent report describe that 28-bp tandem repeat polymorphism in thymidylate synthase enhancer region (TSER) that influence enzyme activity would affect plasma homocysteine level. We have investigated the relationship between TSER genotype and plasma homocysteine level in 54 patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion. Methods: Plasma homocysteine level was measured by fluorescent polarizing immunoassay. MTHFR mutation (C677T and A1298C) was identified by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay and TSER mutation was analyzed by PCR method. The data were analyzed using the program SAS 8.2 for Windows. Results: Total homocysteine level was significantly higher in MTHFR 677TT genotype ($9.80{\pm}3.87{\mu}mol/L$) than MTHFR 677CC genotype ($8.14{\pm}1.74{\mu}mol/L$) in Korean patients with unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (p=0.0143). However, the plasma homocysteine level was not significantly different in the MTHFR 1298AA ($8.42{\pm}2.65{\mu}mol/L$) and 1298CC ($6.09{\pm}0.32{\mu}mol/L$; p=0.2058) and, TSER 2R2R ($8.61{\pm}1.68{\mu}mol/L$) and 3R3R ($8.05{\pm}2.81{\mu}mol/L$; p=0.9319) mutant genotypes, respectively. In this study, we found the combination effects of TSER and MTHFR C677T genotypes. Plasma homocysteine levels were the highest ($11.47{\pm}4.66{\mu}mol/L$) in individuals with TSER 3R3R ($8.05{\pm}2.81{\mu}mol/L$) and MTHFR 677TT ($9.80{\pm}3.87{\mu}mol/L$) genotypes. Individuals with a combination of both TSER 2R2R/2R3R and MTHFR 677CC/CT genotypes ($7.69{\pm}1.77{\mu}mol/L$) had lower plasma homocysteine levels than TSER 2R2R ($8.61{\pm}1.68{\mu}mol/L$) and MTHR 677CC ($8.14{\pm}1.74{\mu}mol/L$) genotypes, respectively. The effect of MTHFR polymorphism in the homocysteine metabolism appears to be stronger than that of TSER polymorphism. Conclusion: Although statistically not significant, we found the elevated level of plasma homocysteine in combined genotypes with TSER and MTHFR (C677T and A1298C) in Korean patients with unexplained habitual abortion. In this study, we reported the possibility that TSER polymorphism is a genetic determinant of plasma homocysteine levels in the Korean patients as well as MTHFR C677T polymorphism. A large prospective study is needed to verify our findings.