Homocysteine Metabolism in Children and Adolescents: Influence of Age on Plasma Biomarkers and Correspondent Genotype Interactions

Nutrients

Helena Caldeira-Araújo¹  Isabel Rivera²  Isabel Tavares de Almeida²  Cristina Florindo²  Rita Castro²  Ruben Ramos² 

[1] Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Campus da Penteada, 9000-390 Funchal, Portugal;Metabolism and Genetics Laboratory, Research Institute for Medicines (i.Med.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Lisbon, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal;

关键词: vitamin B12;    methylmalonic acid;    folate;    homocysteine;    MTHFR;   

DOI  :  10.3390/nu11030646

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Background: Imbalance of homocysteine (Hcy) metabolism links with several pathologies; nevertheless, it is poorly characterized in pediatric populations. This study investigated the impact of age on plasma concentrations of Hcy and relevant biomarkers along with correspondent genotype interactions. Methods: A healthy pediatric cohort aged 9 (n = 195) and 17 (n = 128) years old (yo) was studied. Immunoassays and GC-MS-SIM-mode quantified plasma levels of Hcy and biomarkers. PCR-RFLP or quantitative-PCR assays assessed common variations in related genes. Results: Age impacted on levels of Hcy and metabolic markers: older children presented with the lowest folates and total-cobalamin (tCbl), while with the highest Hcy concentrations, whereas methylmalonic acid (MMA) and holotranscobalamin (Holo-TC) levels remained similar in 9-yo and 17-yo children. The relationships between B-vitamins and metabolic markers were also dependent on age. Only in the older children, MMA correlated with tCbl and Holo-TC, and MMA levels were markedly higher in the 17-yo subjects presenting with the lowest quartiles of Holo-TC concentrations. Lastly, age also impacted on the correlations between genotype and biomarkers. In the 17-yo group, however not in the 9-yo children, tHcy differed between MTHFR 677 genotypes, with subjects who had the MTHFR 677TT genotype displaying the highest tHcy concentrations. Conclusions: Age impacts on the Hcy metabolism dynamics in a pediatric population.

【 授权许可】

Unknown