Common Polymorphism A1298C in Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Is not a Risk Factor for Coronary Artery Disease in Selected Iranian Patients

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is emerging as a major public health concern in most developing countries. During the past 10 years, the vast majority of over 100 case-control retrospective studies have shown that elevated plasma homocysteine level is a strong independent risk factor for coronary artery disease. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is a key enzyme in folate and homocysteine metabolism. A second polymorphism, A1298C, in MTHFR gene, is reported to be associated with decreased enzyme activity and may give rise to elevated blood homocysteine level and increased risk of coronary artery disease. In the present study we used PCR-RFLP analysis to investigate the association between A1298C polymorphism and blood homocysteine level and the risk of CAD in 100 patients compared to 100 normal controls. The frequency of mutated allele and genotype distribution showed no significant difference between patient and control groups. Although the elevated level in blood homocysteine were observed in Iranian CAD cases compared to the normal control, the A1298C polymorphism was not associated with increased CAD risk in studied population as supported by a P value>0.05 and chi-square equal to 0.697. An increased plasma homocysteine concentration confers an independent risk factor for CAD. Although A1298C polymorphism in MTHFR gene has effects on enzyme activity but our findings do not support a major role for this polymorphism in homocysteine metabolism and it can not be considered a major risk factor for coronary artery disease in a selected Iranian population.