Associations between MTHFR polymorphisms and the risk of potentially malignant oral disorders

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the role of two polymorphisms of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), C677T and A1298C, in the risk of potentially malignant oral disorders (PMODs). Materials and Methods: Genotypes of the MTHFR C677T and A1298C polymorphisms were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) for 224 PMOD cases and 485 age-matched controls. Results: The C677T T allele-carrying genotypes were significantly associated with a decreased risk of PMODs [odds ratio (OR)=0.62, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.44-0.86]. Haplotype analysis also indicated that the 677T/1298A haplotype was associated with a decreased risk of PMODs (OR=0.56, 95%CI=0.40-0.80). No significant interaction was observed between MTHFR polymorphisms and lifestyle factors. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that the T-allele-carrying MTHFR C677T genotype or haplotype may reduce the risk of PMODs. However, these observations require further confirmation using larger samples.