title: Plasma total homocysteine level and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677C>T genetic polymorphism in Japanese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
abstract: Hyperhomocysteinemia is a known risk factor of cardiovascular disease. Homocysteine has been also linked to inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we investigated the relationship between plasma homocysteine levels and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the gene coding for methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of homocysteine, and the correlation between the plasma homocysteine levels and generally used inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and matrix metalloproteinase-3) in 96 Japanese patients with RA. Plasma homocysteine levels in patients with the MTHFR 677TT genotype were significantly higher than in those with the 677CC genotype (p < 0.05). In addition, plasma homocysteine levels were increased along with the elevation of general inflammatory markers. Therefore, we conclude that homocysteine might affect the inflammatory status of patients, and the MTHFR 677C>T SNP could be a predictive factor of hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology & Genetics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Suruga-ku, Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Chihiro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fujimaki
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hayashi
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsuboi
authors.forename: Taiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuyama
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kosuge
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Kazuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Kunihiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Itoh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000235:genetics*; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D006710:Homocysteine; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)