Iranian Journal of

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Background: Fortification of corn with folic acid has beneficial effects on hyperhomocysteinemia and heart disease. Folate fortification was contributed to an increase in average folate status and a reduction in serum homocysteine concentration.

Methods: In this randomized clinical trial 17 men and women aged 61±5 years old with hyperhomocysteinemia with mean homocysteine concentration of 15/32±6/13 µmol/L were recruited. Subjects received fortified bread which contained 100µg folic acid daily for 8 weeks. Three-day food record, food frequency questionnaire and BMI (Body Mass Index) data at baseline and week 8 were completed. Plasma homocysteine and serum folate at baseline and week 8 were measured. All dietary and statistical analyses were undertaken using Nutritionist III and SPSS release 15.0 software with paired t-test.

Results: Mean plasma homocysteine concentration decreased significantly in hyperhomocysteinemic subjects after daily consumption of folate fortified bread for 8 weeks (P<0.001).After 8 weeks serum folate concentration increased %26 (P=0.06). Mean BMI, energy and other components of dietary intake did not change significantly. Dietary vitamin C decreased significantly (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Daily consumption of folic acid fortified bread, with 100 µg folic acid, in hyperhomocysteinemic subjects for 8 weeks led to significant decrease in plasma homocysteine and an increase in serum folate.

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Background: Diabetic Nephropathy is one of the main microvascular complications of diabetic mellitus. Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) is one of the candidate genes of diabetic nephropathy. MTHFR (C677T) polymorphism reduces catalytic activity of MTHFR and leads to increase level of plasma homocysteine. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of C677T polymorphism with diabetic nephropathy.
Methods: In this case control study, 300 individuals, including type 2 diabetes mellitus with diabetic nephropathy (N=104), diabetes mellitus patients without diabetic nephropathy (N=100) and controls (N=96) participated. The MTHFR genotype was determined using PCR-RFLP technique and biochemical parameters were measured.
Results: Genotype frequencies were significantly different between patients with diabetic nephropathy and diabetes mellitus without nephropathy (TT+CT vs CC; P=0.02,OR:0.5,CI:0.3-0.9).The allele frequency was also significantly different between diabetic nephropathy and diabetics mellitus without nephropathy(P=0.013,OR:1.754,CI:1.123-2.740).
Conclusion: These findings suggest that there is an association between C677T polymorphism and nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Allele C increase the risk of nephropathy, and T allele has a protective role in susceptibility to disease.