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Associations of MTRR and TSER polymorphisms related to folate metabolism with susceptibility to metabolic syndrome

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Abstract

Background

Hyperhomocysteinemia is a potential risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS). Among genes involved in homocysteine metabolism, polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene are known to be associated with MetS incidence. However, effects of polymorphisms of other folate metabolism-related genes on MetS susceptibility are not well known yet.

Objective

This study was to determine whether methionine synthase (MTR) 2756A > G, methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) 66A > G, and thymidylate synthase enhancer region (TSER) 2R/3R polymorphisms might be associated with risks of MetS development in the Korean population.

Methods

Genotype analysis of the three polymorphisms was performed for a total of 483 subjects including 236 MetS patients and 247 unrelated healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique.

Results

The present study revealed that MTRR and TSER polymorphisms were associated with susceptibility to MetS. Several genotypes and allele combinations from the three polymorphisms were also related to the MetS prevalence. When polymorphism data were stratified according to the risk components of MetS, MTR polymorphism was significantly associated with an increased risk of MetS in subjects with systolic blood pressure < 132.7 mmHg (AOR 1.842, 95% CI 1.039–3.266, P = 0.037) and fasting blood glucose level < 106.3 mg/dL (AOR 1.772, 95% CI 1.069–2.937, P = 0.027). MTRR polymorphism was significantly associated with a decreased risk of MetS in subjects with triglyceride level < 216.3 mg/dL (AOR 0.616, 95% CI 0.399–0.951, P = 0.029). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first to provide reliable evidence about the association of other folate metabolism-related gene polymorphisms besides MTHFR with MetS susceptibility and its risk factors.

Conclusion

Results of this study suggest that MTRR and TSER polymorphisms might be potential genetic markers for the risk of MetS development in Korean population.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a research grant from Jeju National University Hospital in 2015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63243, Republic of Korea

    Young Ree Kim

  2. Department of Science Education, Teachers College, Jeju National University, Jeju, 63294, Republic of Korea

    Seung-Ho Hong

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Correspondence to Seung-Ho Hong.

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Young Ree Kim and Seung-Ho Hong declare that there is no conflict of interests or financial interests on this article contents.

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Written informed consent was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Jeju National University Hospital. The experimental procedures followed the standard regulation of the Review Board.

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Kim, Y.R., Hong, SH. Associations of MTRR and TSER polymorphisms related to folate metabolism with susceptibility to metabolic syndrome. Genes Genom 41, 983–991 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13258-019-00840-8

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