Asthma: a iatrogenic disease cont’d

I had already a thread here about asthma and iatrogenic factors last month including estrogens, vaccines, antibiotics, vitamin D, paracetamol, and Caesarean section. There may be even another kid on the block: folate. At least in mice in utero supplementation with methyl donors enhances allergic airway disease

Using a genomic approach, we discovered 82 gene-associated loci that were differentially methylated after in utero supplementation with a methyl-rich diet. These methylation changes were associated with decreased transcriptional activity and increased disease severity. Runt-related transcription factor 3 (Runx3), a gene known to negatively regulate allergic airway disease, was found to be excessively methylated, and Runx3 mRNA and protein levels were suppressed in progeny exposed in utero to a high-methylation diet.

I didn’t know that there are already 57 Pubmed records on that – but recall a recent Clin Exp All paper on the association between mother and child MTHFR C677T polymorphisms, dietary folate intake and childhood atopy in a ALSPAC birth cohort. They find, however,

The results of this study do not support the hypothesis that impaired folate metabolism is associated with allergy in adults or children in this population.