The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase genotype 677CT and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease have a synergistic effect on the increasing homocysteine levels in subjects from Chongqing, China

Abstract

The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genotypes 677CT and 677TT are associated with elevated serum homocysteine (Hcy) levels by means of lowering the activity of MTHFR, and the increase in serum Hcy may be linked to increased susceptibility to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, there are contradictory reports of the relationship among the MTHFR 677CT gene polymorphism, Hcy, and NAFLD. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify potential associations and interactions of either Hcy levels or the MTHFR 677CT gene polymorphism with the susceptibility to NAFLD in a Chinese population. The association between the MTHFR 677 CT gene polymorphism and Hcy levels was determined in 243 subjects with NAFLD and 388 healthy subjects without NAFLD using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis and high-performance liquid chromatography. In subjects with NAFLD, there was no statistical difference in the genotypic and allelic frequencies of the MTHFR 677 CT gene polymorphism, while serum Hcy levels were significantly higher in subjects with NAFLD. Furthermore, these results strongly suggest that the MTHFR 677CT gene polymorphism and NAFLD have a potential synergistic effect on Hcy elevation, although the MTHFR 677CT gene polymorphism was not correlated with NAFLD in a Chinese population.