title: Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism is associated with central adiposity and increased androgenicity in healthy postmenopausal women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the association of genetic polymorphisms related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk with anthropometric parameters and indices of androgenicity in healthy postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study in a University Menopause Clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following polymorphisms were assessed in 84 healthy postmenopausal women: glycoprotein IIIa Leu33Pro, apolipoprotein E2/E3/E4, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) Ala222Val, apolipoprotein B Arg3500Gln, paraoxonase 1 Gln192Arg, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 4G/5G, cholesterol-7 alpha-hydroxylase A-204C, and cholesterol ester transfer protein (TaqIB) B1/B2. Hormonal assays included FSH, LH, 17-beta-estradiol, testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), DHEA sulfate, Delta-4-androstenedione (Delta4A), free androgen index (FAI), free estrogen index (FEI), and homocysteine (Hcy). The anthropometric components were body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  MTHFR Ala222Val polymorphism was positively associated with testosterone, FAI, and FEI (P=0.001, P=0.0004, and P=0.014 respectively) and negatively with SHBG (P=0.047). Furthermore, women bearing this polymorphism had higher BMI and WHR compared with women with the wild-type variant (P=0.027 and P=0.044 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MTHFR Ala222Val polymorphism is associated with increased androgenicity and elevated BMI and WHR in healthy postmenopausal women. The significance of this association with respect to the CVD risk of postmenopausal women remains to be elucidated in future studies.
authors: Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieio Hospital, University of Athens, 27, Themistokleous Street, Dionysos, GR-14578 Athens, Greece. ilambrinoudaki@hotmail.com
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Lambrinoudaki
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Kaparos
authors: Dimitra
authors: D
authors: Papadimitriou
authors: Theodoros N
authors: TN
authors: Sergentanis
authors: Maria
authors: M
authors: Creatsa
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Alexandrou
authors: Emmanuel
authors: E
authors: Logothetis
authors: George
authors: G
authors: Christodoulakos
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Kouskouni
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014770:Virilism / Q000235:genetics*; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)