Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in Moroccan women.
BACKGROUND
Methylenetetrahydrofolate (MTHFR) enzyme plays an important role in folate metabolism which is involved in DNA methylation, repair, and synthesis.


OBJECTIVE
We investigated if the MTHFR C677T polymorphism modulates the risk of developing breast cancer in Moroccan women.


METHODS
Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP method on a sample of 96 patients with breast cancer and 117 controls.


RESULTS
A positive correlation was found between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and progesterone receptors expression (p= 0.04). According to menopausal status, the heterozygous CT (OR = 2.29 and P = 0.03) was statistically significant in pre-menopausal women. There was a significant association between C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in both additive (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.24-3.86, p = 0.007) and dominant (OR = 2.10, CI 95% = 1.21-3.64, p = 0.008) models. In addition, the T allele were associated with a high breast cancer risk (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.04-2.44, p = 0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
In the light of our preliminary study, 677T allele and 677CT MTHFR genotype may represent a genetic determinant increasing breast cancer risk in Moroccan women. A larger study including a larger sample size and more information is needed to confirm our conclusions.
Genetics and Molecular Pathology Laboratory, Medical school of Casablanca, University Hassan II, Morocco.
B
B
Diakite
A
A
Tazzite
K
K
Hamzi
H
H
Jouhadi
S
S
Nadifi
D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D044383:Black People; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008593:Menopause; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009018:Morocco / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length / Q000235:genetics*; D011980:Receptors, Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D012307:Risk Factors; D013053:Spectrophotometry
D011980:Receptors, Progesterone; D005492:Folic Acid; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)