title: MTHFR C677T polymorphism, folic acid and hyperhomocysteinemia in levodopa treated patients with Parkinson's disease.
abstract: Certain mutations (TT homozygous; CT heterozygous; CC wild-type) of the methylenetetrahydrofolate (MTHFR) gene and long-term levodopa application in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) support onset of hyperhomocysteinemia. Total plasma homocysteine (t-hcys) depends on B6, B12, folic acid, all of which support remyelination from t-hcys to methionine. Objective of this trial were to compare B6, B12, folic acid and t-hcys levels in plasma of 83 levodopa treated PD patients and 44 controls. PD patients with the CT or TT genotype had significant higher t-hcys levels than controls or PD patients with the CC allele. Concentrations of B6 or B12 did not differ, but folic acid was significant higher in PD patients with the CT mutation. We recommend MTHFR genotyping, t-hcys monitoring and early vitamin supplementation in PD patients. The folic acid increase in PD patients with the CT allele is hypothetically due to an endogenous upregulation of folic acid absorption to decrease t-hcys.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, St Josef Hospital, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Woitalla
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kuhn
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003596:Cytosine; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D007980:Levodopa / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010300:Parkinson Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D013763:Tetrahydrofolates / Q000235:genetics*; D013941:Thymine
chemical_list: D013763:Tetrahydrofolates; D007980:Levodopa; D003596:Cytosine; D005492:Folic Acid; D013941:Thymine; C005984:5-methyltetrahydrofolate