Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Gene Germ-Line C677T and A1298C SNPs are Associated with Colorectal Cancer Risk in the Turkish Population

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cause of death due to cancer in the worldwide and theincidence is also increasing in Turkey. Our present aim was to investigate any association between germ-linemethylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and CRC risk in Turkey.A total of 86 CRC cases and 212 control individuals of the same ethnicity were included in the current study.Peripheral blood-DNA samples were used for genotyping by StripAssay technique, based on the reversehybridizationprinciple and real-time PCR methods. Results were compared in Pearson Chi-square and multiplelogistic regression models. The MTHFR 677TT (homozygous) genotype was found in 20.9% and the T allelefrequency 4.2-fold increased in CRC when compared with the control group.The second SNP MTHFR 1298CC(homozygous) genotype was found in 14.0% and the C allele frequency 1.4-fold elevated in the CRC group.The current data suggest strong associations between both SNPs of germ-line MTHFR 677 C>T and 1298 A>Cgenotypes and CRC susceptibility in the Turkish population. Now the results need to be confirmed with a largersample size.