Evaluation of Risk Related to MTHFR 677C>T Gene Polymorphism in Migraine Patients in Kashmiri Population

Objective: Migraine, a common chronic neurological disorder involves a pathophysiology having both multiple genetic and environmental factors. 5, 10-Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) involved in folate metabolism has an important role in a cell for folate availability which is critical for DNA integrity. Methods: This case-control study conducted in Srinagar, Kashmir (North India) between 2013 and 2015 was designed to evaluate risk induced due to MTH-FR 677C>T gene polymorphisms to contribute in susceptibility for migraine in Kashmir population (North India). Using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method, we tested the genotype distribution of 100 migraine patients in comparison with 120 healthy migraine-free controls from the same geographical region. Results: The genotypic frequencies of the patients and controls were not significantly associated (p > 0.05). Higher distribution of TT mutant genotype was found in controls as against the cases (5% versus 1%) but association was not significant (p > 0.05). Per copy frequency of T allele (Val) was found to be 0.14 in cases versus 0.19 in controls (p < 0.05). Higher frequency of variant genotypes was found more in controls as compared to migraine with aura as 33.3% versus 12% respectively (p > 0.05). Similar scenario was observed when migraine without aura was compared with controls where variant genotype (16% cases versus 39.0% controls: p > 0.05) as well as allele frequency was found to be less in cases (cases 0.15 versus 0.19 controls: p > 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that MTHFR gene C677T polymorphism has no role in predisposition to the migraine in our population and cannot serve as a predictive factor for the risk of migraine.