Folate Nutritional Genetics and Risk for Hypertension in an Elderly Population Sample

• Published in: Journal of nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics Vol. 2; no. 1; pp. 1 - 8
• Main Authors: Ng, Xiaowei, Boyd, Lyndell, Dufficy, Lisa, Naumovski, Nenad, Blades, Barbara, Travers, Cheryl, Lewis, Peter, Sturm, Jonathon, Yates, Zoë, Townley-Jones, Maureen, Roach, Paul, Veysey, Martin, Lucock, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel, Switzerland 01.01.2009
• Subjects: 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate-Homocysteine S-Methyltransferase - genetics; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Ferredoxin-NADP Reductase - genetics; Folic Acid - blood; Folic Acid - genetics; Gene Frequency; Genetic Predisposition to Disease; Humans; Hypertension - genetics; Male; Membrane Transport Proteins - genetics; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2) - genetics; Nutrigenomics; Original Paper; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; Population; Reduced Folate Carrier Protein; Risk Factors; Hypertension; MTHFR; Homocysteine; Folate; Polymorphism
• ISSN: 2504-3161; 1661-6499; 2504-3188; 1661-6758
• DOI: 10.1159/000160079

Background/Aims: 118 elderly participants (65–90 years) were assessed for any relationship between folate, related genes and hypertension. Methods: Six B-vitamin-related SNPs were genotyped in 80 normotensive and 38 hypertensive subjects. Results: Of six polymorphisms (677C>T-MTHFR, 1298A>C-MTHFR, 80G>A-RFC, 2756A>G-MS, 66A>G- MSR, 19bpDHFR and 1561C>T-GCPII), only 677C>T-MTHFR was a significant risk for hypertension: OR 1.89; 95% CI 1.07–3.32 (χ 2 p = 0.038). Additionally, hypertensive subjects had a significantly lower intake of dietary folate than normotensive individuals (p = 0.0221), although this did not markedly alter blood metabolite levels. Several significant linear associations between dietary folate and related blood metabolites were found in normotensive subjects (p < 0.001 for Hcy, red cell and serum folate) and were as predicted on an a priori basis – generally weaker associations existed in hypertensive subjects (p < 0.05 for serum folate). This was true for data examined collectively or by genotype. Multiple-regression analysis for diastolic or systolic blood pressure showed significant interaction for gender and folate intake (p = 0.014 and 0.019, respectively). In both cases this interaction occurred only in females, with higher folate intake associated with decreased blood pressure. Regressing diastolic blood pressure and 677C>T-MTHFR genotype showed significance (males; p = 0.032) and borderline significance (all subjects). Conclusion: Dietary folate and 677C>T-MTHFR genotype may modify blood pressure.