Homocysteine levels in A/J and C57BL/6J mice: genetic, diet, gender, and parental effects
Open Access
- 11 May 2005
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physiological Society in Physiological Genomics
- Vol. 21 (3), 404-410
- https://doi.org/10.1152/physiolgenomics.00199.2004
Abstract
Increased levels of homocysteine in the blood have been associated with various birth defects and adult diseases. However, the extent to which genetic factors control homocysteine levels in healthy individuals is unclear. Laboratory mice are valuable models for dissecting the genetic and environmental controls of total homocysteine (tHcy) levels. We assessed the inheritance of tHcy levels in two inbred strains, A/J and C57BL/6J (B6), under controlled physiological conditions and assessed the relative importance of genetic, diet, gender, and parental effects. Diet affected mean tHcy levels, whereas gender affected both the mean and variance of tHcy levels. Moreover, gender of the parents influenced mean tHcy levels in reciprocal F1 hybrids, suggesting maternal effects. Finally, gene-diet interactions affected heritability of mean tHcy levels. These studies showed that each of these factors contributes to tHcy levels and provided important clues to understanding homocysteine homeostasis in humans.Keywords
This publication has 40 references indexed in Scilit:
- Methionine synthase (MTR) 2756 (A → G) polymorphism, double heterozygosity methionine synthase 2756 AG/methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) 66 AG, and elevated homocysteinemia are three risk factors for having a child with Down syndromeAmerican Journal of Medical Genetics Part A, 2003
- Genetic and molecular control of folate-homocysteine metabolism in mutant miceMammalian Genome, 2002
- Canalization in evolutionary genetics: a stabilizing theory?BioEssays, 2000
- Crooked Tail(Cd) Models Human Folate-Responsive Neural Tube DefectsHuman Molecular Genetics, 1999
- Oral estrogen improves serum lipids, homocysteine and fibrinolysis in elderly menAtherosclerosis, 1998
- A Quantitative Assessment of Plasma Homocysteine as a Risk Factor for Vascular DiseaseJAMA, 1995
- A candidate genetic risk factor for vascular disease: a common mutation in methylenetetrahydrofolate reductaseNature Genetics, 1995
- Genetic identification of Mom-1, a major modifier locus affecting Min-induced intestinal neoplasia in the mouseCell, 1993
- Population variation and genetics of plasma homocyst(e)ine levelClinical Genetics, 1992
- Heterozygosity for Homocystinuria in Premature Peripheral and Cerebral Occlusive Arterial DiseaseNew England Journal of Medicine, 1985