title: Relationship between thiolactonase activity and hyperhomocysteinemia according to MTHFR gene polymorphism in Tunisian Behçet's disease patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic immuno-inflammatory disorder. Inflammatory processes may cause lipid peroxidation, alteration of lipid profile and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between thiolactonase (HTLase) activity and plasma homocysteine levels (tHcy) in a BD population and to investigate their association with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C-->T genotype.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 35 BD patients were compared to 39 healthy volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher tHcy levels associated with lower HTLase activities were found in BD patients as compared to healthy controls (p<0.001). These patients also exhibited lower values of triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Homozygosity for the T allele of the MTHFR gene was more frequent in BD patients (14.3% vs. 7.7%). It was associated with significantly higher tHcy levels (16.9 micromol/L for n=17 vs. 13.1 micromol/L for n=18; p<0.05) and markedly lower HTLase activity (362.6+/-156.7 U/L vs. 414.2+/-180.2 U/L) for the (TT+CT) and CC genotypes, respectively. Moreover, HDL-C levels were inversely correlated with tHcy (r=-0.5; p=0.004) but positively associated with HTLase activity (r=0.374; p=0.038). These correlations were also present in several clinical manifestations, such as ocular, neurological involvement or thrombosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Homozygosity of the T allele of the MTHFR gene is prevalent in BD patients. High levels of tHcy associated with low HTLase activities may be one of the causes leading to thrombosis in BD patients.
authors: 1Laboratory of Biochemistry, UR "Human Nutrition and Metabolic Disorders", Faculty of Medicine, Monastir, Tunisia.
authors: Nadia
authors: N
authors: Koubaa
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Hammami
authors: Amel
authors: A
authors: Nakbi
authors: Khaldoun
authors: K
authors: Ben Hamda
authors: Sylvia
authors: S
authors: Mahjoub
authors: Testsuya
authors: T
authors: Kosaka
authors: Mohamed
authors: M
authors: Hammami
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001528:Behcet Syndrome / Q000235:genetics*; D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D014416:Tunisia
chemical_list: D006710:Homocysteine; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); D002265:Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases