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Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in Moroccan women


B Diakite
A Tazzite
K Hamzi
H Jouhadi
S Nadifi

Abstract

Background: Methylenetetrahydrofolate (MTHFR) enzyme plays an important role in folate metabolism which is involved in DNA methylation, repair, and synthesis.
Objective: We investigated if the MTHFR C677T polymorphism modulates the risk of developing breast cancer in Moroccan women.
Methods: Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP method on a sample of 96 patients with breast cancer and 117 controls.
Results: A positive correlation was found between the MTHFR C677T polymorphism and progesterone receptors expression (p= 0.04). According to menopausal status, the heterozygous CT (OR = 2.29 and P = 0.03) was statistically significant in pre-menopausal women. There was a significant association between C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk in both additive (OR = 2.2, 95% CI = 1.24-3.86, p = 0.007) and dominant (OR = 2.10, CI 95% = 1.21-3.64, p = 0.008) models. In addition, the T allele were associated with a high breast cancer risk (OR = 1.59, 95% CI = 1.04-2.44, p = 0.03).                                                             Conclusion: In the light of our preliminary study, 677T allele and 677CT MTHFR genotype may represent a genetic determinant increasing breast cancer risk in Moroccan women. A larger study including a larger sample size and more information is needed to confirm our conclusions.

Key words: MTHFR polymorphism, breast neoplasm, Morocco.


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eISSN: 1729-0503
print ISSN: 1680-6905