Determinants of homocysteine levels in colorectal and breast cancer patients.
BACKGROUND
Homocysteinemia has been associated with oncogenic risk. This study was designed to investigate the homocysteine (Hcy) genotype/phenotype interactions together with the inflammatory and nutritional status of cancer patients.


METHODS
The Hcy levels were analyzed in 47 cancer patients in association with methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms, folate and inflammatory markers.


RESULTS
The MTHFR C677T and A1298C genotype distributions did not differ from those predicted by the Hardy-Weinberg distribution. Conversely, the Hcy levels were higher in the cancer patients (p=0.04), who were also characterized by low-grade inflammation. The Hcy levels correlated with the interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p=0.001), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) (p=0.042) and folate (p<0.0001) levels of the patients. Multivariate analysis showed that TNF-alpha (p=0.014) and folate (p=0.019) were independent predictors of elevated Hcy levels in the cancer patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The MTHFR polymorphisms do not significantly contribute to tHcy (total Hcy) levels in cancer patients, and cancer-related inflammation may be associated with elevated tHcy levels, possibly involving a TNF-alpha mediated pathway.
Department of Laboratory Medicine and Advanced Biotechnologies, IRCCS San Raffaele, Via della Pisana 235, 00163, Rome, Italy. patrizia.ferroni@sanraffaele.it
P
P
Ferroni
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R
Palmirotta
F
F
Martini
S
S
Riondino
A
A
Savonarola
A
A
Spila
F
F
Ciatti
V
V
Sini
S
S
Mariotti
G
G
Del Monte
M
M
Roselli
F
F
Guadagni
D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D006710:Homocysteine; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)