Congenital Heart Diseases: Genetic Risk Variants and Their Methylation Status

Abstract

(1) Background: The interaction between single nucleotide variants (SNVs) associated with congenital heart diseases (CHDs) and their gene methylation status has not been well researched. The aim of the present study was to determine if there is a relationship between the methy lation status (MS) of genes and the allelic variants associated with CHDs. (2) Methods: Seven SNVs of the genes AXIN1, TBX1, TBX20, and MTHFR were selected from the literature. DNA extraction, genotyping, and a methylation analysis were performed on healthy subjects and subjects with CHDs. (3) Results: Twenty-two subjects with CHDs were selected as the case group (15 with ventricular septal defects (VSDs) and 7 with atrial septal defects (ASDs)), and 44 healthy subjects comprised the control group. The MTHFR and AXIN1 genes were hypermethylated in the control group when compared to the case group. When analyzed separately, those with atrial septum defects exhibited greater methylation, except for the gene MTHFR where there were no differences. Only the alternate alleles of MTHFR showed a significantly different methylation status in those without cardiopathy. (4) Conclusions: The MTHFR and AXIN genes were hypermethylated in the control group; however, only the alternate alleles of MTHFR (rs1801133 and rs1801131) showed a significantly different methylation status.