Abstract:
Whether the polymorphisms in the UCP3 gene have an influence on plasma homocysteine levels during youth is not known, and to elucidate the putative modifying role of fitness is also of clinical interest. We analysed the association between polymorphisms in the UCP3 gene and plasma homocysteine in youth and to examine whether fitness modifies this association. The study population comprised 267 Swedish children (8-10 years) and 305 adolescents (14-16 years). Fasting total plasma homocysteine was the outcome variable. We genotyped five UCP3 polymorphisms (rs1800849, rs1800006, rs2075577, rs647126, and rs591758) and one MTHFR 677C>T (rs1801133) polymorphism. Cardiorespiratory fitness was measured with a maximal ergometer bike test. The result of the study was that youth homozygous or heterozygous for the T allele of the rs1800849 polymorphism had significantly higher levels of homocysteine than those carrying the CC genotype (8.56+/-4.72 micromol/L vs. 7.72+/-2.73 micromol/L, respectively, P=0.011) after adjusting for gender, age, pubertal status, folate and vitamin B(12) intake and MTHFR 677C>T polymorphism, whereas no association was observed for the other analysed polymorphisms. There was a signi...