- Title
- Preliminary evidence for genetic selection of 677T→MTHFR by natural annual cycle of folate abundance
- Creator
- Lucock, Mark; Yates, Zoe; Ng, Xiaowei; Veysey, Martin; Blades, Barbara; Travers, Cheryl; Lewis, Peter; Sturm, Jonathan; Roach, Paul
- Relation
- Journal of Nutrigenetics and Nutrigenomics Vol. 1, Issue 1-2, p. 24-29
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000109872
- Publisher
- S. Karger AG
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2008
- Description
- Background/Aims: Folic acid mediates transfer of one-carbon units into methionine and DNA-thymine biosynthesis. Discretionary and mandatory use of synthetic folic acid (SFA) to reduce spina bifida is on the increase. We show that historically, the seasonal cycle of abundance of folate-rich foods may have regulated embryo viability by acting as a selection factor for a significant polymorphism within a gene encoding 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (677CT→MTHFR). Methods: Blood was collected from 150 UK and 118 Australian subjects born prior to discretionary or mandatory use of SFA. 677CT→MTHFR genotype was determined using PCR. Results: The highest prevalence for 677T→MTHFR occurred 9 months post-harvest in UK subjects and was significantly higher at this time of year (July-Sept.) compared with Jan.-Mar. (OR = 2.0, 95% CI 1.03-3.87, p = 0.039) and Oct.-Dec. (OR = 2.2, 95% CI 1.12-4.31, p = 0.021). This effect was not detected in an Australian population subject to more moderate seasonality. Conclusions: Dietary folate may confer significant genetic buffering within populations dependent upon seasonal food sources that modify an individual's vitamin status at the time of conception.
- Subject
- folic acid; dietary folic acid; vitamin; polymorphism; methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase; 677CT→MTHFR
- Identifier
- uon:4945
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/42779
- Identifier
- ISSN:1661-6499
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