Serum betaine but not choline is inversely associated with breast cancer risk: a case-control study in China

卷:56

Du, Yu-Feng ; Lin, Fang-Yu ; Long, Wei-Qing ; Luo, Wei-Ping ; Yan, Bo ; Xu, Ming ; Mo, Xiong-Fei ; Zhang, Cai-Xia

Sun Yat Sen Univ

关键词: Serum choline;    Serum betaine;    Breast cancer risk;    Case-control study;   

DOI  :  10.1007/s00394-016-1183-3

学科分类：食品科学和技术

【 摘 要 】

Purpose Choline and betaine are important for DNA methylation and synthesis, and may affect tumor carcinogenesis. To our knowledge, no previous study has examined the association between serum choline and betaine and breast cancer risk. This study aimed to examine whether serum choline and betaine were inversely associated with breast cancer risk among Chinese women. Methods This hospital-based case-control study consecutively recruited 510 breast cancer cases and 518 frequency-matched (age and residence) controls, and blood samples were available for 500 cases and 500 controls. Serum choline and betaine were assayed by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple unconditional logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). Results An inverse association with breast cancer risk was observed for serum betaine (fourth vs first quartile adjusted OR 0.68, 95 % CI 0.47-0.97) and for the ratio of serum betaine to choline (fourth vs first quartile adjusted OR 0.70, 95 % CI 0.48-1.00), but not for serum choline (fourth vs first quartile adjusted OR 0.80, 95 % CI 0.56-1.15). Serum betaine was inversely associated with breast cancer risk in subjects with below-median dietary folate intake (fourth vs first quartile adjusted OR 0.48, 95 % CI 0.30-0.77). Conclusions This study suggested that serum betaine but not choline was inversely associated with breast cancer risk. This result needed to be further confirmed by the prospective studies.