Reduced folate carrier gene is a risk factor for neural tube defects in a Chinese population.
BACKGROUND
There is a considerable body of data demonstrating that periconceptional supplementation of folic acid can prevent a significant proportion of neural tube defects (NTDs). At present, the mechanism by which folic acid exerts its beneficial effect remains unknown. Folate transporter genes, including the reduced folate carrier gene (RFC1), have been proposed as NTD risk factors.


METHODS
The study population included 104 nuclear families with NTDs and 100 nonmalformed control families. We investigated the possible association between a common RFC1 polymorphism (A80G) and NTD risk among offspring, as well as potential gene-environment interactions between the infant RFC1 genotype and maternal periconceptional use of folic acid through a population-based case-control study.


RESULTS
We observed that the infants of the GG genotype were associated with a 2.56-fold increased risk of NTDs when compared to the AA genotype (odds ratio [OR], 2.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-6.36) in our study population. Among mothers who did not utilize folic acid supplements, the risk for having a child with an NTD was 3.30 (95% CI, 1.15-9.65) for offspring with the GG genotype, compared to the reference (AA) genotype. Children who had the GG genotype and whose mothers did not take folic acid had an elevated risk for NTDs (OR, 8.80; 95% CI, 2.83-28.69), compared to offspring with the AA and GA genotypes whose mothers utilized folic acid supplements.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that the RFC1 G allele is likely to be an important genetic factor in determining folate transport and subsequently may be a risk factor for NTDs in this Chinese population.
Pei
Lijun
L
Institute of Reproductive and Child Health, Peking University Health Science Center, No. 38 Xueyuan Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, China. Peilj@healthychildren.org.cn
Zhu
Huiping
H
Ren
Aiguo
A
Li
Zhiwen
Z
Hao
Ling
L
Finnell
Richard H
RH
Li
Zhu
Z
D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000235:genetics*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D058978:Reduced Folate Carrier Protein; D012307:Risk Factors
D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D058978:Reduced Folate Carrier Protein; C548699:SLC19A1 protein, human