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Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Enzyme Level and Antioxidant Activity in Women with Gestational Hypertension and Pre-eclampsia in Lagos, Nigeria

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Abstract

Background

Deficiencies of enzymes in the folate cycle may lead to the generation of homocysteine, a toxic metabolic intermediate with pro-oxidant effect and ability to induce oxidant stress and lipid peroxidation as part of the pathophysiological process in gestational hypertension (GH) and pre-eclampsia (PE).

Aim

The aim of this study is to assess the reliability of plasma homocysteine (hcy) 5, 10 methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) enzyme and oxidative stress parameters as indicators of aetio-pathogenesis and severity of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia.

Subjects and Methods

This was a comparative cross-sectional study conducted over 6 months. Two hundred pregnant women were recruited from two sites. They were divided into gestation hypertension (n = 40), pre-eclampsia (n = 60) and control groups (n = 100). Parameters evaluated for statistical analysis were MTHFR enzyme level, plasma homocysteine and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, with glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities.

Results

Mean plasma hcy level and MDA were significantly higher in pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension when compared to control group (p < 0.05). However, MTHFR enzyme level, GSH, SOD and CAT were significantly higher in normotensive females when compared to PE and GH subgroups (p < 0.05). Pre-eclampsia was significantly associated with an increased risk of lipid peroxidation (OR = 4.923; p = 0.007).

Conclusion

Pre-eclampsia and gestational hypertension are associated with marked homocysteine metabolic derangement and increased lipid peroxidation induced by oxidative stress and reduced MTHFR enzyme activity which may be the significant risk factors in the aetio-pathogenesis of GH and PE.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    V. O. Osunkalu

  2. Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    I. A. Taiwo

  3. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria

    C. C. Makwe

  4. Department of Community Health and Primary Care, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Nigeria

    O. J. Akinsola & R. A. Quao

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  1. V. O. Osunkalu
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to V. O. Osunkalu.

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Conflict of interest

Vincent Osunkalu, Idowu Taiwo, Christian Makwe, Oluwatosin Akinsola and Rachel Quao have declared that they have no conflict of interest. All processes involved in this research project were self-sponsored.

Human and Animal Rights

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (Health Research and Ethics Committee of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Lagos State Hospital Management Board) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008 (5).

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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V. O. Osunkalu is an Associate professor of Haematology and Blood transfusion at the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. I. A. Taiwo is an Associate Professor of Cell Biology and Genetics from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. C. C. Makwe is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Lagos. He is an Honorary Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos. O. J. Akinsola is a Lecturer in Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Department of Community Health and Primary Care at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos. R. A. Quao is a graduate from the Physiology Department from the College of Medicine of the University of Lagos.

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Osunkalu, V.O., Taiwo, I.A., Makwe, C.C. et al. Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Enzyme Level and Antioxidant Activity in Women with Gestational Hypertension and Pre-eclampsia in Lagos, Nigeria. J Obstet Gynecol India 69, 317–324 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-019-01215-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13224-019-01215-5

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