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Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol (April 20, 2007). doi:10.1152/ajpheart.01189.2006
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Submitted on October 30, 2006
Accepted on April 11, 2007

High Frequency of Vitamin B12 Deficiency in Asymptomatic Individuals Homozygous to MTHFR C677T Mutation is Associated with Endothelial Dysfunction and Homocysteinemia

Zittan Eran1, Meir Preis1, Ihab Asmir1, Aliza Cassel2, Naomi Lindenfeld2, Sharon Alroy3, David Anthony Halon1, Basil Samuel Lewis1, Avinoam Shiran1, Jorge Enrique Schliamser4, and Moshe Y Flugelman1*

1 Cardiovascular Medicine, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
2 Molecular Hematology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
3 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Lady Davis Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel
4 Haifa, Israel; Cardiovascular Medicine, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: myf{at}tx.technion.ac.il.

Aims: To examine the association of homozygosity for the MTHFR C677T mutation, and vitamin B12 deficiency in 360 asymptomatic individuals and to investigate forearm endothelial function in C677T homozygotes. Methods and Results: MTHFR C677T mutation, levels of vitamin B12, folic acid and homocysteine were measured in study participants. Frequency of homozygosity for the C677T mutation was 67/360 (18.6%). Homocysteine levels were elevated in homozygous compared to heterozygous subjects or those without the mutation (20.6±18.8 vs. 9.4±3.2 µmol/L, p<0.0001). The number of subjects with vitamin B12 deficiency (<150pmol/L) was significantly higher among the homozygotes compared to heterozygotes or subjects without mutation (20/67 (29.8%) vs. 27/293, (9.2%); p<0.0001). Homozygotes had 4.2 times higher probability of having B12 deficiency (95% CI 2.1-8.3). Forearm endothelial function was assessed in 33 homozygotes and 12 controls. Abnormal endothelial function was observed in homozygous subjects and was worse in homozygotes with vitamin B12 deficiency. Endothelial function was normalized after B12 and folic acid treatment. Conclusion: Homozygosity for the C677T mutation is strongly associated with B12 deficiency. Co-existence of homozygosity for the C677T mutation and B12 deficiency is associated with endothelial dysfunction and can be corrected with vitamin B12 and folic acid treatment.







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