title: Enrichment of MTHFR 677 T in a Chinese long-lived cohort and its association with lipid modulation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Variants in the Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene may result in a lowered catalytic activity and associate with subsequent elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) concentration, abnormal DNA synthesis and methylation, cardiovascular risk, and unhealthy aging. Several investigations on the relationship of MTHFR C677T polymorphism with serum lipid profile and longevity have been conducted in some populations, but the findings remain mixed. Herein, we sought to look at the association between MTHFR C677T and lipid profile in a longevous cohort in Bama, a well-known home of longevity in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  Genotyping of MTHFR C677T was undertaken in 516 long-lived inhabitants (aged 90 and older, long-lived group, LG) and 493 healthy controls (aged 60-75, non-long-lived group, non-LG) recruited from Bama area. Correlation between MTHFR genotypes and lipids was then evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  T allele and TT genotype were significantly more prevalent in LG (P=0.001 and 0.002, respectively), especially in females, than in non-LG. No difference in the tested lipid measures among MTHFR C677T genotypes was observed in LG, non-LG and total population (P>0.05 for all). However, female but not male T carriers exhibited higher TC and LDL-C levels than did T noncarriers in the total population and in LG after stratification by sex (P<0.05 for each). These differences did not however remain through further subdivision by hyperlipidemia and normolipidemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The higher prevalence of MTHFR 677 T genotypes and its modest unfavorable impact on lipids in Bama long-lived individuals may imply an existence of other protective genotypes which require further determination.
authors: Ning-Yuan
authors: NY
authors: Chen
authors: Cheng-Wu
authors: CW
authors: Liu
authors: Li-Li
authors: LL
authors: Du
authors: Li-Ping
authors: LP
authors: Xiao
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Ge
authors: Yi-Yuan
authors: YY
authors: Wang
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Wei
authors: Hua-Yu
authors: HY
authors: Wu
authors: Chen-Yuan
authors: CY
authors: Luo
authors: Liang
authors: L
authors: Liang
authors: Jun-Hua
authors: JH
authors: Peng
authors: Xiao-Qiu
authors: XQ
authors: Luo
authors: Rui-Xing
authors: RX
authors: Yin
authors: Cuc Phuong
authors: CP
authors: Nguyen
authors: Department of Pathophysiology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning 530021, Guangxi, People's Republic of China. sl.pan.berkeley@gmail.com.
authors: Shang-Ling
authors: SL
authors: Pan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008136:Longevity / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; C573423:MTHFR protein, human; D042965:Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)