Lack of association between MTHFR A1298C variant and Alzheimer’s disease: evidence from a systematic review and cumulative meta-analysis

Abstract

Objectives: Previous studies have investigated the association between MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131) polymorphism and susceptibility to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Nevertheless, an ultimate conclusion remains obscure. We then executed this meta-analysis to estimate this association more precisely.

Methods: Related studies were systematically searched on PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Google scholar, and AlzGene databases. The association was evaluated by reviewing the odds ratios (ORs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Publication bias, sensitivity analysis, and cumulative meta-analysis were performed to help draw a more definite conclusion.

Results: Ten eligible studies were finally enrolled in this meta-analysis. Lack of association between MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and AD risk was observed in five genetic models (allelic: OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 0.88–1.56; homozygous: OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 0.87–1.53; heterozygous: OR = 1.19, 95% CI: 0.76–1.86; dominant: OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 0.81–1.87; recessive: OR = 1.16, 95% CI: 0.89–1.52). The result of cumulative meta-analysis sorted by publication year was also detected a dynamic tendency of no correlation between MTHFR A1298C polymorphism and AD.

Conclusion: This meta-analysis reveals that MTHFR A1298C polymorphism may not be associated with AD risk.

Keywords:

• Methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR)
• A1298C (rs1801131) polymorphism
• Alzheimer’s disease
• meta-analysis

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr. Guoliang Huang from Dongguan Scientific Research Center, Guangdong Medical University for putting forward useful suggestions in the manuscript and Timothy H. Click from National Chiao Tung University for assisting in the revision of this paper.