Association of MTHFR C677T Polymorphism with Bone Mineral Density of Osteoporosis in Postmenopausal Thai Women
Chutaporn Tongboonchoo PhD*, Anchalee Tungtrongchitr MD**, Benjaluck Phonrat MSc***, Sangchai Preutthipan MD****, Rungsunn Tungtrongchitr PhD*
Affiliation : * Department of Tropical Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand ** Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand *** Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand **** Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
Background : Osteoporosis and osteopenia is rising with the increase in numbers of postmenopausal women.
Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), a homocysteine catabolizing enzyme, is involved in the regulation of bone
mineral density (BMD). The association between MTHFR C677T polymorphism with osteoporosis in postmenopausal Thai
women is hitherto unclear.
Objective : To investigate the association between MTHFR C677T and BMD in postmenopausal Thai women.
Material and Method: The study subjects consisted of 346 postmenopausal Thai women volunteers. Standard dual-energy
X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was used for measurement of BMD T-score. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)
analysis was used for measurement of MTHFR C677T polymorphism.
Results : In the evaluation of 346 postmenopausal Thai women heterozygous (CT) genotype had a risk of osteopenia than
normal control (odds ratio (OR) = 5.66, p<0.001).BMD T-scores at each bone position revealed that heterozygous (CT)
genotype had increased risk of osteopenic bones than normal controls at lumbar spines 1, 2, and 4 (OR = 2.48, p<0.001,
OR = 1.98, p = 0.008 and OR = 1.83, p = 0.016 respectively), ward’s triangle (OR = 2.08, p = 0.008), and head of radius
(OR = 2.95, p = 0.008).
Conclusion : These results indicate the possibility of using MTHFR C677T polymorphism to identify postmenopausal Thai
women at high risk of osteopenia.
Keywords : Postmenopausal women, MTHFR (C677T) polymorphism, Osteopenia, Osteoporosis, Bone mineral density
