title: 5,10-methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase C677T gene polymorphism, homocysteine concentration and the extent of premature coronary artery disease in southern Iran.
abstract: Elevated level of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) has been identified as an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Furthermore, numerous studies have documented the influences of a common polymorphism (C677T) of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) on homocysteine levels. However the relationship between this mutation and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has remained as a controversial issue. The present study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between C677T polymorphism of MTHFR gene, plasma total Hcy levels and the number of affected vessels as a criterion for the extent of CAD. MTHFR genotypes and plasma homocysteine (HCY) concentrations were examined in 231 patients and 300 healthy subjects who underwent diagnostic coronary angiography. A multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify the predictors of Hcy levels whereas logistic regression model was built to determine the association of Hcy quartiles with the risk of CAD adjusted for risk factors. The prevalence of MTHFR genotypes was similar between CAD patients and non-CAD individuals while the geometric mean of Hcy values was significantly higher in patient group (14.13 ± 4.11 μmol/l) than in control group (10.19 ± 3.52 μmol/l) (P < 0.001). Moreover, unlike the MTHFR polymorphism, Hcy concentration increased with increasing number of stenosed vessels and the CAD risk increased about 2 folds in the top two Hcy quartiles (≥ 17.03 and 13.20-17.02 μmol/l) compared with the lowest quartile (≤ 9.92 μmol/l) after controlling for conventional risk factors (P<0.001 for both). Our data suggest that hyperhomocysteinaemia (HHcy) is significantly associated to CAD risk increase as well as to the extent of coronary atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Human Genetic Research Group, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture & Research (ACECR), Fars Province Branch, Shiraz 71347, Iran.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Senemar
authors.affiliation: Human Genetic Research Group, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture & Research (ACECR), Fars Province Branch, Shiraz 71347, Iran ; School of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran 14155-6455, Iran.
authors.forename: Babak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Saffari
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Department, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 62785-3243, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Bagher
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Sharifkazemi
authors.affiliation: Human Genetic Research Group, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture & Research (ACECR), Fars Province Branch, Shiraz 71347, Iran.
authors.forename: Marzieh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bahari
authors.affiliation: Human Genetic Research Group, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture & Research (ACECR), Fars Province Branch, Shiraz 71347, Iran ; Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics (IBB), University of Tehran, Tehran 13145-1384, Iran.
authors.forename: Najmeh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jooyan
authors.affiliation: Human Genetic Research Group, Iranian Academic Center for Education, Culture & Research (ACECR), Fars Province Branch, Shiraz 71347, Iran ; Medical Genetics Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14155-6447, Iran.
authors.forename: Elham Davoudi
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Dehaghani
authors.affiliation: Hematology Research Center, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 71937, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yavarian
keywords: coronary artery disease; homocystein; methylene tetrahydrofolate reductase; vessel score