No evidence for a preferential transmission of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677T allele in families with schizophrenia offspring

Jan-Willem Muntjewerff, Mechteld L C Hoogendoorn, Maartje F Aukes, René S Kahn, Richard J Sinke, Henk J Blom, Martin den Heijer, M.F. Aukes

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

    Abstract

    The methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C > T polymorphism has been associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia in various case-control studies. However, case-control studies are sensitive to population stratification, which is not an issue in family-based studies. We conducted a family-based study comprising 120 families with a schizophrenic family member to explore the association between the parental MTHFR 677C > T polymorphism and schizophrenia risk in offspring. In addition, a meta-analysis was performed using the available studies with data on this subject. Transmission Disequilibrium Test (TDT) analysis showed no preferential transmission of the 677T allele from parents heterozygous for the MTHFR 677C > T polymorphism to schizophrenia offspring (P = 0.27). The genotype relative risks were 1.43 (95% CI: 0.83-2.47) for the 677TT and 1.42 (95% CI: 0.54-3.78) for the 677CT genotype, relative to the 677CC genotype. A meta-analysis using data from family-based studies comprising a total of 416 parent-child triads yielded no evidence implicating the 677T allele in schizophrenia risk (P = 0.58). By applying a log-linear model, we found no asymmetry within parental mating type. Our data provided no evidence that transmission of the MTHFR 677T allele is associated with schizophrenia risk. In addition, we found no evidence that the maternal genotype influences the risk of having schizophrenia offspring substantially.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)891-4
    Number of pages4
    JournalAmerican Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics
    Volume144B
    Issue number7
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2007

    Keywords

    • Alleles
    • Family Health
    • Female
    • Genotype
    • Humans
    • Male
    • Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)
    • Prevalence
    • Risk Factors
    • Schizophrenia

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