Analysis of genetic polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in a large ethnic Hakka population in southern China.

ABSTRACT

Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) catalyzes conversion of methylene tetrahydrofolate to methylte trahydrofolate. MTHFR C677T polymorphism has been regarded as a risk factor for various vascular diseases. Our study aimed to investigate the distribution frequencies of this polymorphism among Hakka population living in southern China. We retrospectively recruited 5102 unrelated Chinese Hakka subjects. MTHFR C677T polymorphism was tested using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA sequencing. A total of 2358 males and 2744 females (aged from 10 years to 101 years) were included in this study. In total, 2835 (55.63%) subjects were homozygous for the C allele (CC), 1939 (38.00%) subjects were heterozygous (CT), and 325 (6.37%) subjects were homozygous for the T allele (TT). The allelic frequency of mutant T was 25.37% with 325 individual homozygous for this defective allele resulting in a frequency of about 6.37% for the TT genotype. According to the study results, the overall frequency of MTHFR C677T genotypes did not differ significantly among the gender and age groups. Our study showed the prevalence of MTHFR C677T polymorphism in a large ethnic Hakka population living in southern China. It would be important implications for the primary prevention of various vascular diseases.