Nutrient-gene interactions within one-carbon metabolism modulate DNA methylation, the major potentially reversible epigenetic modification in eukaryotic cells. The cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT1) regulates the metabolic balance between nucleotide synthesis and methylation in one-carbon pathway. The SHMT1-1420T allele has been associated with a reduced enzyme activity and a decreased risk of cancer. By enhancing SHMT1 expression, ferritin affects folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism. Aim of this study was to analyze how the interaction among ferritin, folate and SHMT1-1420C>T polymorphism may affect peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DNA methylation (LC/ESI/MS method) in 537 subjects enrolled in the Verona Heart Studyto identify a possible biomarker for cancer. Results showed that SHMT1-TT carriers, under a high ferritin/low folate condition, show significantly increased PBMCs genomic DNA methylation than SHMT1-CC subjects (P=0.01). Since cancer is usually associated with genomic hypomethylation, the increased genomic methylation in SHMT1-1420TT genotypes in presence of high ferritin/low folate, could be potentially protective for cancer risk.

High ferritin and low folate increases PBMCs genomic DNA methylation in association with SHMT1-1420TT variant.

MORUZZI, Sara;GUARINI, Patrizia;Udali, Silvia;GIRELLI, Domenico;PATTINI, Patrizia;PIZZOLO, Francesca;OLIVIERI, Oliviero;FRISO, Simonetta
2013-01-01

Abstract

Nutrient-gene interactions within one-carbon metabolism modulate DNA methylation, the major potentially reversible epigenetic modification in eukaryotic cells. The cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT1) regulates the metabolic balance between nucleotide synthesis and methylation in one-carbon pathway. The SHMT1-1420T allele has been associated with a reduced enzyme activity and a decreased risk of cancer. By enhancing SHMT1 expression, ferritin affects folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism. Aim of this study was to analyze how the interaction among ferritin, folate and SHMT1-1420C>T polymorphism may affect peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DNA methylation (LC/ESI/MS method) in 537 subjects enrolled in the Verona Heart Studyto identify a possible biomarker for cancer. Results showed that SHMT1-TT carriers, under a high ferritin/low folate condition, show significantly increased PBMCs genomic DNA methylation than SHMT1-CC subjects (P=0.01). Since cancer is usually associated with genomic hypomethylation, the increased genomic methylation in SHMT1-1420TT genotypes in presence of high ferritin/low folate, could be potentially protective for cancer risk.
2013
epigenetics; nutrient-gene interactions; folate metabolism; one-carbon metabolism; DNA methylation; ferritin; SHMT1; serine hydroxymethyltransferase; SHMT1-1420C>T polymorphism; peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DNA methylation; LC/ESI/MS method
File in questo prodotto:
Non ci sono file associati a questo prodotto.

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11562/479756
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus ND
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 0
social impact