The effects of polymorphisms in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MTR), and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) on the risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer in Korean women

The purpose of the study was to investigate the association between cervical cancer risk and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in three one-carbon metabolism genes, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), methionine synthase (MTR), and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) in Korean women. Twelve SNPs were identified in MTHFR, MTR, and MTRR in the 927 case-control samples, which included 165 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 (CIN1), 167 cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 and 3 (CIN2/3), 155 cervical cancer patients, and 440 normal controls. The frequencies of the genotypes and haplotypes were assessed in the controls, CINs, and cervical cancers. Individual carriers of the variant allele C of MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131) had a 0.64-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.42-0.98] decreased risk for CIN2/3 compared with common homozygotes. However, no significant association was found between most other variants and cervical cancer risk. The results also identified an increased CIN1 risk in carriers with at least one copy of haplotype 3 in the MTHFR gene (odds ratio, 1.88; 95% CI: 1.03-3.42). In conclusion, there was no significant association between most SNPs in MTHFR, MTR, or MTRR and the risk of CIN and cervical cancer in Korean women. In addition, there was no significant association of MTHFR haplotypes with risk of CIN2/3 and cervical cancer.