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Genetic Investigation Of Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (Mthfr) And Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase (Comt) In Multiple Sclerosis, Lotti Tajouri, Virginie Martin, Claudia Gasparini, Micky Ovcaric, Rob Curtain, Rod Lea, Larisa Haupt, Peter Csurhes, Michael Pender, Lyn Griffiths

Lotti Tajouri

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic neurological disease characterized by central nervous system (CNS) inflammation and demyelination. The C677T substitution variant in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene has been associated with increased levels of circulating homocysteine and is a mild risk factor for vascular disease. Higher blood levels of homocysteine have also been reported in MS. Thus, the C677T mutation of the MTHFR gene may influence MS susceptibility. Noradrenaline, a neurotransmitter believed to play an immunosupressive role in neuroinflammatory disorders, is catabolized by catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). The COMT G158A substitution results in a three- to four-fold decreased activity of the …