Folate/homocysteine phenotypes and MTHFR 677C>T genotypes are associated with serum levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1.
Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) is a chemokine that recruits monocytes into the subendothelial cell layer in atherosclerotic lesions. Elevated homocysteine (hyperhomocysteinemia), which is usually associated with low-folate status, is a known risk factor for many pathologies with inflammatory etiologies. The present study was undertaken to examine whether there are associations between MCP-1 concentrations and folate/Hcy phenotype or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T genotype in healthy young adults. In females, MCP-1 concentrations were positively correlated with Hcy and negatively correlated with both serum and red blood cell folate; female smokers and MTHFR 677T carriers had particularly elevated MCP-1 concentrations. Similar relationships were not seen in males. These findings may have implications for understanding the female predominance observed for a range of autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.
Hammons
Andrea L
AL
Department of Pharmacology and Center for Pharmacogenetics, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6084, USA.
Summers
Carolyn M
CM
Woodside
Jayne V
JV
McNulty
Helene
H
Strain
J J
JJ
Young
Ian S
IS
Murray
Liam
L
Boreham
Colin A
CA
Scott
John M
JM
Mitchell
Laura E
LE
Whitehead
Alexander S
AS
D000328:Adult; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D005838:Genotype; D006579:Heterozygote; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D020138:Hyperhomocysteinemia / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)