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The effect of MTHFR(C677T) genotype on plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy children is influenced by gender

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 60, pages 155–162 (2006)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To explore the influence of gender, together with folate status, on the relation between the common methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism and plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) concentrations in healthy children.

Design:

Cross-sectional study by face-to-face interview.

Setting and subjects:

A total of 186 sixth-grade students participated from twelve randomly selected primary schools in Volos, Greece.

Methods:

Fasting tHcy, folate, and vitamin B12 were measured in plasma. The MTHFR genotypes were determined. Anthropometric and dietary intake data by 24-h recall were collected.

Results:

Geometric means for plasma tHcy, plasma folate and energy-adjusted dietary folate did not differ between females and males. The homozygous mutant TT genotype was associated with higher tHcy only in children with lower plasma folate concentrations (<19.9 nmol/l, P=0.012). As a significant gender interaction was observed (P=0.050), we stratified the lower plasma folate group by gender and found that the association between the genotype and tHcy was restricted to males (P=0.026). Similar results were obtained when folate status was based on estimated dietary folate. Specifically, only TT males that reported lower dietary folate consumption (<37 μg/MJ/day) had tHcy that was significantly higher than tHcy levels of C-allele carriers (P=0.001).

Conclusions:

Under conditions of lower folate status (as estimated by either plasma concentration or reported dietary consumption), gender modifies the association of the MTHFR(C677T) polymorphism with tHcy concentrations in healthy children.

Sponsorship:

Kellog Europe.

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Acknowledgements

The study was supported by a research grant from Kellogg Europe. We thank Dr Demosthenes B Panagiotakos for providing expert statistical guidance and laboratory staff Dr Aikaterini Skenderi for her assistance in biochemical analyses. We would like to acknowledge Ioanna Piperkou, Andrianna Cimponerio, Kyriakos Aloumanis, Alexandra Papathoma, Fotini Arvaniti, Crystallia Kolia, Natassa Zerva, Theodora E Sialvera, Dimitra Christou, Vassia Papakitsou, Anastasia Anastasiadou, and Georgia Felliou for their excellent assistance during data collection. The authors have no conflict of interest that is related to this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Laboratory of Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

    C Papoutsakis, Y Manios, F Magkos, A Zampelas & A L Matalas

  2. Department of Home Economics and Ecology, Harokopio University, Athens, Greece

    N Yiannakouris

  3. Institute of Child Health ‘Aghia Sofia’ Children's Hospital, Athens, Greece

    E Papaconstantinou & K H Schulpis

Authors
  1. C Papoutsakis
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  2. N Yiannakouris
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  3. Y Manios
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  4. E Papaconstantinou
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  5. F Magkos
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  6. K H Schulpis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to C Papoutsakis.

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Guarantor: C Papoutsakis.

Contributors: CP had the original idea, analyzed the data, wrote the first draft, and edited subsequent versions. NY: analyzed the data, and edited the manuscript, YM: coordinated data collection, and edited the manuscript, EP: supervised HPLC and RIA analyses, and edited the manuscript, FM: participated in field measurements, and edited the manuscript, KHS: participated in HPLC analyses, and edited the manuscript, AZ: supervised the field data collection, and edited the manuscript, and ALM: supervised the study, and edited the manuscript.

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Papoutsakis, C., Yiannakouris, N., Manios, Y. et al. The effect of MTHFR(C677T) genotype on plasma homocysteine concentrations in healthy children is influenced by gender. Eur J Clin Nutr 60, 155–162 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602280

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602280

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