The association between first trimester micronutrient intake, MTHFR genotypes, and global DNA methylation in pregnant women
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
Published on: June 28, 2024
Michele La Merrill1, Luisa Torres-Sánchez, Rubén Ruiz-Ramos
1Department of Preventive Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. michele.lamerrill@mssm.edu
Objective:
Our aim was to evaluate possible associations between consumption of micronutrients involved in one-carbon metabolism, MTHFR genotypes, and global DNA methylation in pregnant women.
Methods:
A semi-quantitative dietary questionnaire was administered to 195 women during their first trimester in Morelos, Mexico. Two functional polymorphisms of the key folate-metabolizing gene, i.e. MTHFR 677 C>T and 1298 A>C, as well as global DNA methylation were assessed in peripheral blood drawn during the interview.
Results:
Independent of maternal age and caloric intake, vitamin B(6) deficiency was associated with 1.8 fold increased risk of hypomethylation in women carrying the MTHFR 677 T allele.
Conclusions:
There exists a subpopulation that is more susceptible to B vitamin deficiencies.
Related Concept Videos
Animal Mitochondrial Genetics
Genomic Imprinting and Inheritance
The expression of some genes depends on which parent passed the gene to the offspring, through a phenomenon known as...
Epigenetic Regulation
Pharmacogenetic Phenotypes: Alterations in Pharmacokinetics, Drug Targets and Biologic Milieu
Phase II Reactions: Methylation Reactions
The mechanism of methylation unfolds in two stages. The first stage sees a methyltransferase enzyme facilitating the transfer of a methyl group from S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to the substrate, forming S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH). The second stage involves further metabolism of SAH into homocysteine, which can be recycled...

