The role of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase in acute lymphoblastic leukemia in a Brazilian mixed population

Abstract 

The polymorphisms in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene are associated with leukemogenesis. In order to investigate the influence of two polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene, 677C>T and 1298A>C, on the risk of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) we performed a case–control study in children from different Brazilians’ regions. Genotyping of 176 ALL and 199 unselected healthy subjects was performed using PCR-RFLP assay. There was no association between the 677C>T or 1298A>C and risk of ALL in total case–control sample. However, 677T allele was linked to a decrease risk of ALL [odds ratio (OR), 0.43; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22–0.86], whereas the 1298A>C polymorphism presents an elevated risk factor [OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.01–3.99] in non-White children. Our investigation provides interesting data concerning the opposite effect of A1298C polymorphisms, particularly in the light of relatively scarce data regarding the MTHFR role in leukemia susceptibility in different populations.

Abbreviations: ALL, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, BpALL, B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia, CI, confidence interval, GBTLI, Grupo Brasileiro para Tratamento de Leucemias Infantil, MTHFR, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, na, not applied, OR, odds ratio, T-ALL, T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Keywords: MTHFR, Polymorphism, Childhood acute leukemia