Methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase contributes to allergic airway disease.

ABSTRACT:

Rationale

Environmental exposures strongly influence the development and progression of asthma. We have previously demonstrated that mice exposed to a diet enriched with methyl donors during vulnerable periods of fetal development can enhance the heritable risk of allergic airway disease through epigenetic changes. There is conflicting evidence on the role of folate (one of the primary methyl donors) in modifying allergic airway disease.

Objectives

We hypothesized that blocking folate metabolism through the loss of methylene-tetrahydrofolate reductase (Mthfr) activity would reduce the allergic airway disease phenotype through epigenetic mechanisms.

Methods

Allergic airway disease was induced in C57BL/6 and C57BL/6Mthfr-/- mice through house dust mite (HDM) exposure. A

SUBMITTER: Eyring KR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5766142 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature