Original Article

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2007) 61, 996–1003; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602606; published online 17 January 2007

B-group vitamins, MTHFR C677T polymorphism and carotid intima-media thickness in clinically healthy subjects

C S Liu1,2,3,4,8, C H Chen5, H C Chiang6, C L Kuo3, C S Huang3, W L Cheng3, Y H Wei7 and H W Chen6,8

  1. 1Department of Neurology, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
  2. 2Graduate Institute of Integration Chinese and Western Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan
  3. 3Vascular and Genomic Center, Department of Neurology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan
  4. 4Department of General Education, Tung Hai University, Taichung, Taiwan
  5. 5Institute of Biomedical Science, Academia Sinica, Taiwan
  6. 6Institute of Nutritional Science, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
  7. 7Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan

Correspondence: Dr C-S Liu, Neurology Department, Vascular and Genomic Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, 135 Nanhsiao Street, Changhua, Taiwan 500; Professor H-W Chen, Institute of Nutritional Science, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan 402. E-mail: 26602@cch.org.tw; hawwen@csmu.edu.tw

8These two authors contributed equally to this work.

Received 21 April 2006; Revised 27 October 2006; Accepted 27 October 2006; Published online 17 January 2007.

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Abstract

Objective:

 

Plasma B-group vitamins and age may affect the carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in subjects with different 677TT genotype of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene.

Design:

 

A hospital-based cross-study.

Setting:

 

Genomic and Vascular Center, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Taiwan.

Subjects:

 

Five hundred and forty-one clinically healthy subjects.

Intervention:

 

Fasting plasma, homocysteine (Hcy), vitamin B6, vitamin B12, folate and B-mode carotid ultrasound.

Results:

 

MTHFR genotype, plasma concentrations of folate, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 and age were significantly correlated to the plasma Hcy concentration. MTHFR 677TT carriers had higher concentrations of Hcy than did subjects with the CC and CT genotypes. Age, sex, body mass index and plasma Hcy were independent contributors to increase carotid IMT. However, with stratification by mean value of age and B-group vitamins concentrations, we found that at advanced age, lower plasma folate and vitamin B12 were three risk factors involved in the enhancing effect of the MTHFR 677TT genotype on the increase of plasma Hcy and carotid IMT.

Conclusion:

 

MTHFR 677TT-related carotid atherosclerosis was only identified in healthy elderly subjects with lower level of plasma folate and vitamin B12.

Sponsorship:

 

Changhua Christian Hospital.

Keywords:

MTHFR, nutrition, intima-media thickness, homocysteine, atherosclerosis

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