Iranian Journal of Pathology (Jan 2020)

The Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (G>A) and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (C677T) Gene Variants and the Serum Levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-1, Insulin, and Homeostasis Model Assessment in Patients with Acne Vulgaris

  • Sakineh Zinati-Saeed,
  • Ebrahim Shakiba,
  • Ziba Rahimi,
  • Mona Akbari,
  • Fariba Najafi,
  • Fariborz Bahrehmand,
  • Asad Vaisi-Raygani,
  • Zohreh Rahimi,
  • Ali Ebrahimi,
  • Mehrali Rahimi

DOI
https://doi.org/10.30699/ijp.2019.105695.2098
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 15, no. 1
pp. 23 – 29

Abstract

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Background & Objective:To find an association between gene variants of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) with the risk of acne vulgaris (AV).Methods:In a case-control study, we investigated 150 AV patients and 148 healthy individuals (aged 18-25 years) for the IGF-1 G>A and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms, as well as the serum levels of IGF-1, insulin, and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). The serum biochemical parameters and the genotypes of IGF-1 G>A and MTHFR C677T were detected by using appropriate kits and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) methods, respectively.Results:The frequencies of IGF-1 and the MTHFR polymorphisms were not significantly different comparing patients and controls. The serum level of IGF-1 was 179.8±72.8 µg/L in AV patients compared to 164.6±63.7 µg/L in controls (P=0.056). The serum level of insulin in female patients was significantly higher than controls. The HOMA was 3.54±5.6 in patients compared to 1.16±1.4 (P<0.001) in controls. Significantly higher levels of fasting blood sugar (FBS), total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) were detected in female patients than controls. However, the level of estradiol was significantly lower in female patients than in controls. In females, the presence of the MTHFR T allele was associated with significantly higher levels of FBS and LDL-C, as well as a significantly lower level of estradiol compared to those carriers of the C allele.Conclusion:We found the absence of an association between IGF-1 and MTHFR polymorphisms with the risk of AV. However, increased insulin, IGF-1, and HOMA levels in AV patients indicated the effect of insulin and insulin resistance in the risk of AV and its severity.

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