Is an elevated circulating maternal homocysteine concentration a risk factor for neural tube defects?
The mechanism by which folic acid supplementation reduces neural tube defect (NTD) incidence is unknown. Recent evidence suggests that mothers with NTD neonates have higher circulating homocysteine concentrations compared with controls. This presumably indicates impaired homocysteine remethylation, resulting in a possible methionine shortage at a crucial stage of fetal development.
D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008715:Methionine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008745:Methylation; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors
D015415:Biomarkers; D006710:Homocysteine; D008715:Methionine