Statin and MTHFR C677T Polymorphism in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases

Abstract

Objective: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, located on the short (p) arm of chromosome 1 at position 36.3 (1p36.3), might be a possible risk factor for the pharmacogenetics in CVD. A common polymorphism in MTHFR (C677T, Ala -> Val) decreases this enzyme activity and increases the homocysteine concentrations, predisposing one to heart disease. Alternatively, statins, cholesterol-reducing agents, are also used to reduce the homocysteine blood concentrations; the aim of the present study was to evaluate how the genotype frequencies of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism, namely rs1801133, change in the cardiovascular system in patients treated with statin.

Methods: In this study, the genotype distribution of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism in CVD patients treated with statin (hydrophilic and lipophilic) (n=290) and healthy controls (n=151) was assessed using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP).

Results: In this study, a statistically significant difference in genotype frequencies for the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was found between CVD patients treated with statin and controls (p=0.037).

Conclusion: For the first time, we demonstrate a relation between a MTHFR gene polymorphism and CVD in patients treated with statins in the Turkish population.