The Relationship Between Homocysteine, Polymorphism Of MTHFR Gene And Carotid Artherosclerosis In Cerebral Infarction Patients

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship of homocysteine(Hcy) level and genetic polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase(MTHFR) C677T related to homocysteine metabolism with carotid artherosclerosis in acute cerebral infarction patients.Materials and Methods90 patients (67.30±10.79 years old ,26 women, 64 men) who suffered from cerebral infarction for the first time within the previous 7 days were randomly selected from the neurological department of Beijing Tongren hospital and Beijing Puren hospital from March,2006 to November 2006 . 40 healthy people (63.50±9.80 years old ,11 women, 29 men) were randomly selected as the control group.(1) Serum Hcy level was measured by cyclophorase assay.(2) MTHFR genetic C677T polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction and restriction digestion with HinfI to distinguish mutant from wild-type alleles.(3) Carotid Intima-Media Thickness, plaque and stenosis was determined by the use of the duplex ultrasonography. Results(1) The fast Hcy level in the patient group was 23.74(16.90-28.40) (umol/L) significantly higher than that in the control group 12.71 (9.63-16.48)(umol/L) ( P < 0. 001)(2) The frequency of T allele in the patient group was (47.7%) significantly higher than that in the control group(28.7%)(P<0.01).(3) The Hcy concentration was significantly higher in persons with TT genotype than in those with CC or CT genotype. And TT genotype>CT genotype>CC genotype.(4) Hcy is related to carotid artherosclerosis even after controlling for other traditional risk factors.(5) The co- effect of age and Hcy attenuated the the MTHFR association with carotid artherosclerosis.Conclusion(1) Serum Hcy is the risk factor of artherosclerosis in cerebral infarction patients .(2) Genetic mutations of MTHFRC677T is possibly an important hereditary factor of artherosclerosis.It possibly interacted with Hcy and folate , and they may act synergistically in the development of carotid artherosclerosis.