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Martinez-Morata I, Wu H, Galvez-Fernandez M, Ilievski V, Bottiglieri T, Niedzwiecki MM, Goldsmith J, Jones DP, Kioumourtzoglou MA, Pierce B, Walker DI, Gamble MV. Metabolomic Effects of Folic Acid Supplementation in Adults: Evidence from the FACT Trial. J Nutr 2024; 154:670-679. [PMID: 38092151 PMCID: PMC10900167 DOI: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/31/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Folic acid (FA) is the oxidized form of folate found in supplements and FA-fortified foods. Most FA is reduced by dihydrofolate reductase to 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5mTHF); the latter is the form of folate naturally found in foods. Ingestion of FA increases the plasma levels of both 5mTHF and unmetabolized FA (UMFA). Limited information is available on the downstream metabolic effects of FA supplementation, including potential effects associated with UMFA. OBJECTIVE We aimed to assess the metabolic effects of FA-supplementation, and the associations of plasma 5mTHF and UMFA with the metabolome in FA-naïve Bangladeshi adults. METHODS Sixty participants were selected from the Folic Acid and Creatine Trial; half received 800 μg FA/day for 12 weeks and half placebo. Plasma metabolome profiles were measured by high-resolution mass spectrometry, including 170 identified metabolites and 26,541 metabolic features. Penalized regression methods were used to assess the associations of targeted metabolites with FA-supplementation, plasma 5mTHF, and plasma UMFA. Pathway analyses were conducted using Mummichog. RESULTS In penalized models of identified metabolites, FA-supplementation was associated with higher choline. Changes in 5mTHF concentrations were positively associated with metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism (5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid, acetylmethionine, creatinine, guanidinoacetate, hydroxyproline/n-acetylalanine) and 2 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid and linoleic acid). Changes in 5mTHF concentrations were negatively associated with acetylglutamate, acetyllysine, carnitine, propionyl carnitine, cinnamic acid, homogentisate, arachidonic acid, and nicotine. UMFA concentrations were associated with lower levels of arachidonic acid. Together, metabolites selected across all models were related to lipids, aromatic amino acid metabolism, and the urea cycle. Analyses of nontargeted metabolic features identified additional pathways associated with FA supplementation. CONCLUSION In addition to the recapitulation of several expected metabolic changes associated with 5mTHF, we observed additional metabolites/pathways associated with FA-supplementation and UMFA. Further studies are needed to confirm these associations and assess their potential implications for human health. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER This trial was registered at https://clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01050556.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Martinez-Morata
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Haotian Wu
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Marta Galvez-Fernandez
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Vesna Ilievski
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Teodoro Bottiglieri
- Center of Metabolomics, Institute of Metabolic Disease, Baylor Scott & White Research Institute, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Megan M Niedzwiecki
- Department of Environmental Medicine and Public Health, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, United States
| | - Jeff Goldsmith
- Department of Biostatistics, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Dean P Jones
- Division of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States; Department of Biochemistry, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Marianthi-Anna Kioumourtzoglou
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Brandon Pierce
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Douglas I Walker
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, United States
| | - Mary V Gamble
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States.
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Qin XY, Ha SY, Chen L, Zhang T, Li MQ. Recent Advances in Folates and Autoantibodies against Folate Receptors in Early Pregnancy and Miscarriage. Nutrients 2023; 15:4882. [PMID: 38068740 PMCID: PMC10708193 DOI: 10.3390/nu15234882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Though firstly identified in cerebral folate deficiency, autoantibodies against folate receptors (FRAbs) have been implicated in pregnancy complications such as miscarriage; however, the underlying mechanism needs to be further elaborated. FRAbs can be produced via sensitization mediated by folate-binding protein as well as gene mutation, aberrant modulation, or degradation of folate receptors (FRs). FRAbs may interfere with folate internalization and metabolism through blocking or binding with FRs. Interestingly, different types of FRs are expressed on trophoblast cells, decidual epithelium or stroma, and macrophages at the maternal-fetal interface, implying FRAbs may be involved in the critical events necessary for a successful pregnancy. Thus, we propose that FRAbs may disturb pregnancy establishment and maintenance by modulating trophoblastic biofunctions, placental development, decidualization, and decidua homeostasis as well as the functions of FOLR2+ macrophages. In light of these findings, FRAbs may be a critical factor in pathological pregnancy, and deserve careful consideration in therapies involving folic acid supplementation for pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Yun Qin
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China; (X.-Y.Q.); (S.-Y.H.)
| | - Si-Yao Ha
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China; (X.-Y.Q.); (S.-Y.H.)
| | - Lu Chen
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Tao Zhang
- Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong 999077, China;
| | - Ming-Qing Li
- Laboratory for Reproductive Immunology, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China; (X.-Y.Q.); (S.-Y.H.)
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Female Reproductive Endocrine Related Diseases, Hospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200080, China
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Quadros EV. Folate and Other B Vitamins in Brain Health and Disease. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15112525. [PMID: 37299487 DOI: 10.3390/nu15112525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
B vitamins as a group play essential roles in a multitude of metabolic reactions involved in cellular replication, energy production, the synthesis of intermediary compounds, and neurotransmitters [...].
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward V Quadros
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, 450 Clarkson Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11209, USA
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Bobrowski-Khoury N, Sequeira JM, Quadros EV. Brain Uptake of Folate Forms in the Presence of Folate Receptor Alpha Antibodies in Young Rats: Folate and Antibody Distribution. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15051167. [PMID: 36904166 PMCID: PMC10005127 DOI: 10.3390/nu15051167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
In a rat model, following exposure to rat folate receptor alpha antibodies (FRαAb) during gestation, FRαAb accumulates in the placenta and the fetus and blocks folate transport to the fetal brain and produces behavioral deficits in the offspring. These deficits could be prevented with folinic acid. Therefore, we sought to evaluate folate transport to the brain in young rat pups and determine what effect FRαAb has on this process, to better understand the folate receptor autoimmune disorder associated with cerebral folate deficiency (CFD) in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). When injected intraperitoneally (IP), FRαAb localizes to the choroid plexus and blood vessels including the capillaries throughout the brain parenchyma. Biotin-tagged folic acid shows distribution in the white matter tracts in the cerebrum and cerebellum. Since these antibodies can block folate transport to the brain, we orally administered various folate forms to identify the form that is better-absorbed and transported to the brain and is most effective in restoring cerebral folate status in the presence of FRαAb. The three forms of folate, namely folic acid, D,L-folinic acid and levofolinate, are converted to methylfolate while L-methylfolate is absorbed as such and all are efficiently distributed to the brain. However, significantly higher folate concentration is seen in the cerebrum and cerebellum with levofolinate in the presence or absence of FRαAb. Our results in the rat model support testing levofolinate to treat CFD in children with ASD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jeffrey M. Sequeira
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
| | - Edward V. Quadros
- Department of Medicine, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY 11203, USA
- Correspondence:
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