Angius A., Simpore J., Persico I., Sassu A., Prodi D.A., Musumeci S.
Institute of Population Genetics, CNR, Alghero, SS, Italy; Shardna Life Sciences, Cagliari, Italy; Centre Medical Saint Camille (CMSC), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, South Africa; Department of Pharmacology, Gynecology and Obstetric, Pediatrics, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43b, 07100 Sassari, Italy; Université de Ouagadougou, Unité de Formation et de Recherche/SVT, Burkina Faso, South Africa
Angius, A., Institute of Population Genetics, CNR, Alghero, SS, Italy, Shardna Life Sciences, Cagliari, Italy; Simpore, J., Centre Medical Saint Camille (CMSC), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, South Africa, Université de Ouagadougou, Unité de Formation et de Recherche/SVT, Burkina Faso, South Africa; Persico, I., Shardna Life Sciences, Cagliari, Italy; Sassu, A., Shardna Life Sciences, Cagliari, Italy; Prodi, D.A., Shardna Life Sciences, Cagliari, Italy; Musumeci, S., Institute of Population Genetics, CNR, Alghero, SS, Italy, Department of Pharmacology, Gynecology and Obstetric, Pediatrics, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 43b, 07100 Sassari, Italy
In Burkina Faso the levels of plasma homocysteine (Hcy) are lower and the methionine loading tests suggest a more effective Hcy metabolism. The polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) showed a relevant difference in the allele frequencies of T MTHFR-677 in young and in old subjects, while the allele frequency of C MTHFR-1298 was comparable in young and old subjects. The aim of this paper was to study the impact of the MTHFR polymorphisms on plasma fasting Hcy and after methionine loading in Burkina Faso. The young subjects with CC MTHFR-677 genotype had levels of Hey significantly lower than CT and TT subjects. The level of Hcy in subjects who had AA, AC and CC MTHFR-1298 genotypes were comparable. The levels of Hcy after the methionine loading test were significantly higher in CT and TT MTHFR-677 genotype. These results suggest that the genetic situation in Burkina Faso is different from that of other Western countries and this guarantees the maintenance of lower plasma levels of Hcy in young and old Africans. The elevated levels of plasma Hcy in old subjects compared to young subjects, against the IoNN prevalence of the T allele in elderly subjects, is discussed.
5,10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (FADH2); homocysteine; methionine; adult; age distribution; aged; amino acid metabolism; article; Burkina Faso; controlled study; diet restriction; female; gene frequency; genetic polymorphism; genotype; high performance liquid chromatography; human; loading test; male; Negro; population genetics; prevalence; protein blood level; Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Burkina Faso; Fasting; Female; Gene Frequency; Genotype; Homocysteine; Humans; Male; Methionine; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2); Middle Aged; Polymorphism, Genetic; Statistics, Nonparametric