A common mutation in the 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene as a new risk factor for placental vasculopathy.
OBJECTIVE
This study was undertaken to investigate whether the cytosine-to-thymine substitution at nucleotide 677 (C677T) in the 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene is a risk factor for placental vasculopathy (abruptio placentae or placental infarction with fetal growth restriction).


METHODS
This case-control study enrolled 165 women with placental vasculopathy and 139 matched control women with normal pregnancy outcomes. Measurements included fasting total plasma homocysteine concentration, serum and red blood cell folate concentrations, serum vitamin B(12) concentration, whole-blood vitamin B(6) concentration, and analysis of the 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene C677T mutation.


RESULTS
The median total plasma homocysteine concentration was significantly higher in the study group than in the control group (P <.01; odds ratio >97.5th percentile, 4.66; 95% confidence interval, 1.55-14.0). Homozygous genotype for the mutated 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene was found in 12% of the study group and 5% of the control group (odds ratio, 2.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-6.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Mild hyperhomocysteinemia was confirmed among women with placental vasculopathy, for which homozygosity for a mutated 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene was found to be a new risk factor. The risk of placental vasculopathy probably increases in conditions of low serum folate concentration.
van der Molen
E F
EF
Departments of Paediatrics and Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Nijmegen University Hospital, The Netherlands.
Arends
G E
GE
Nelen
W L
WL
van der Put
N J
NJ
Heil
S G
SG
Eskes
T K
TK
Blom
H J
HJ
D045103:5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (FADH2); D000328:Adult; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005838:Genotype; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D009154:Mutation; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000235:genetics*; D010920:Placenta / Q000098:blood supply*; D011247:Pregnancy; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*
D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D045103:5,10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (FADH2); D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)