<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE article PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD JATS (Z39.96) Journal Publishing DTD v1.0 20120330//EN" "JATS-journalpublishing1.dtd">
<article article-type="abstract" dtd-version="1.0" xml:lang="en" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML">
<front>
<journal-meta>
<journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">CC</journal-id>
<journal-id journal-id-type="nlm-ta">Cardiol Croat</journal-id>
<journal-title-group>
<journal-title>Cardiologia Croatica</journal-title>
<abbrev-journal-title abbrev-type="pubmed">Cardiol. Croat.</abbrev-journal-title>
</journal-title-group>
<issn pub-type="ppub">1848-543X</issn>
<issn pub-type="epub">1848-5448</issn>
<publisher><publisher-name>Croatian Cardiac Society</publisher-name></publisher>
</journal-meta>
<article-meta>
<article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">CC 2026 21_1-2_9</article-id>
<article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.15836/ccar2026.9</article-id>
<article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Extended Abstract</subject></subj-group>
<subj-group subj-group-type="subheading"><subject>Basic medical sciences in cardiology</subject></subj-group>
</article-categories>
<title-group>
<article-title>The role of folate metabolism and genetic polymorphisms in coronary artery disease</article-title>
</title-group>
<contrib-group>
<contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1601-9094</contrib-id><name><surname>Nadalin</surname><given-names>Sergej</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"><sup>2</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1">*</xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3169-3658</contrib-id><name><surname>Vu&#x010D;i&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Domagoj</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"><sup>3</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0003-0437-6750</contrib-id><name><surname>Gali&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Marko</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5357-5890</contrib-id><name><surname>Silovi&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Josip</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6365-5686</contrib-id><name><surname>Vranekovi&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Jadranka</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4"><sup>4</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0006-0014-6642</contrib-id><name><surname>Majdand&#x017E;i&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Ivan</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9830-8883</contrib-id><name><surname>Margeti&#x0107;</surname><given-names>Darko</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff5"><sup>5</sup></xref></contrib>
<contrib contrib-type="author"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6188-0708</contrib-id><name><surname>Lukenda</surname><given-names>Katica Cvitku&#x0161;i&#x0107;</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"><sup>3</sup></xref></contrib>
<aff id="aff1"><label>1</label><institution>General Hospital &#x201C;Dr. Josip Ben&#x010D;evi&#x0107;&#x201D;, Slavonski Brod</institution>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff2"><label>2</label><institution>Catholic University of Croatia</institution>, <institution content-type="dept">School of Medicine</institution>, <addr-line>Zagreb</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff3"><label>3</label><institution>Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek</institution>, <institution content-type="dept">Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health Osijek</institution>, <addr-line>Osijek</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff4"><label>4</label><institution>University of Rijeka</institution>, <institution content-type="dept">School of Medicine</institution>, <addr-line>Rijeka</addr-line>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
<aff id="aff5"><label>5</label><institution>General Hospital Nova Gradi&#x0161;ka, Nova Gradi&#x0161;ka</institution>, <country country="hr">Croatia</country></aff>
</contrib-group>
<author-notes>
<corresp id="cor1"><label>*</label>ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE: Sergej Nadalin, Op&#x0107;a bolnica &#x201C;Dr. Josip Ben&#x010D;evi&#x0107;&#x201D;, Andrije &#x0160;tampara 42, HR-35000 Slavonski Brod, Croatia. / tel. +385-35-201-835 / fax. +385-35-201-840 / E-mail: <email xlink:href="sergejnadalin@hotmail.com">sergejnadalin@hotmail.com</email></corresp></author-notes>
<pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="electronic"><month>12</month><year>2025</year></pub-date>
<pub-date date-type="pub" publication-format="print"><month>12</month><year>2025</year></pub-date>
<volume>21</volume>
<issue>1-2</issue>
<fpage>9</fpage>
<lpage>9</lpage>
<history>
<date date-type="received"><day>16</day><month>10</month><year>2025</year></date>
<date><day>14</day><month>11</month><year>2025</year></date>
</history>
<permissions>
<copyright-statement>Croatian Cardiac Society</copyright-statement>
<copyright-year>2025</copyright-year>
<copyright-holder>Croatian Cardiac Society</copyright-holder>
</permissions>
<kwd-group kwd-group-type="author"><title>KEYWORDS: </title><kwd>coronary artery disease</kwd><kwd>genetics</kwd><kwd>folic acid</kwd><kwd>metabolism</kwd></kwd-group>
</article-meta>
</front>
<body>
<p>Folate is an essential form of vitamin B9 that facilitates the transfer of single-carbon groups and plays an important role in DNA methylation, conversion of homocysteine to methionine, nucleotide synthesis, and DNA repair. Folate deficiency has been reported to be associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). Although the biochemical mechanisms linking folate deficiency to CAD have been extensively studied, the genetics of folate metabolism and the clinical implications of folate supplementation remain areas of ongoing investigation. We integrated three interconnected domains&#x2014;biochemistry, genetics, and nutritional supplementation&#x2014;to provide a comprehensive synthesis of current knowledge on the folate metabolism in CAD. There is strong evidence that elevated plasma homocysteine levels are associated with increased cardiovascular mortality and long-term adverse events in patients with CAD, often due to folate deficiency. Elevated plasma homocysteine levels contribute to endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammation, and atherosclerotic plaque formation, all of which play roles in pathogenesis of CAD (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r1"><italic>1</italic></xref>). The genes encoding the enzymes methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) and methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase reductase (MTRR) play a central role in the metabolism of folate, homocysteine, and consequently in methylation. The MTHFR gene is involved in the conversion of methylenetetrahydrofolate to methyltetrahydrofolate, which is the main circulating form of folate and the carbon donor for the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine. Meanwhile, MTRR gene plays a role in the remethylation of homocysteine to methionine via cobalamin in a folate-dependent reaction. Polymorphisms in the MTHFR and MTRR genes can influence the risk of CAD by altering the metabolism of homocysteine. Of particular importance is the MTHFR C677T polymorphism, while the A1298C polymorphism and, especially, the MTRR A66G polymorphism have shown less consistent associations with CAD risk (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r2"><italic>2</italic></xref>, <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r3"><italic>3</italic></xref>). In addition, folate supplementation lowers homocysteine levels, particularly in individuals with the MTHFR C677T TT genotype, which is associated with reduced enzyme activity involved in homocysteine metabolism (<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="r4"><italic>4</italic></xref>). Importantly, although folic acid supplementation reduces plasma homocysteine, systematic reviews and meta-analyses show no significant effect on CAD risk or cardiovascular mortality. These findings highlight the need for further research to better understand the mechanisms and conditions under which folate supplementation might offer cardiovascular protection.</p>
</body>
<back>
<ref-list>
<title>LITERATURE</title>
<ref id="r1"><label>1</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Zhang</surname><given-names>S</given-names></name><name><surname>Lv</surname><given-names>Y</given-names></name><name><surname>Luo</surname><given-names>X</given-names></name><name><surname>Weng</surname><given-names>X</given-names></name><name><surname>Qi</surname><given-names>J</given-names></name><name><surname>Bai</surname><given-names>X</given-names></name><etal/></person-group> <article-title>Homocysteine promotes atherosclerosis through macrophage pyroptosis via endoplasmic reticulum stress and calcium disorder.</article-title> <source>Mol Med</source>. <year>2023</year> June 12;<volume>29</volume>(<issue>1</issue>):<fpage>73</fpage>. <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1186/s10020-023-00656-z</pub-id><pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">37308812</pub-id></mixed-citation></ref>
<ref id="r2"><label>2</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Samii</surname><given-names>A</given-names></name><name><surname>Aslani</surname><given-names>S</given-names></name><name><surname>Imani</surname><given-names>D</given-names></name><name><surname>Razi</surname><given-names>B</given-names></name><name><surname>Samaneh Tabaee</surname><given-names>S</given-names></name><name><surname>Jamialahmadi</surname><given-names>T</given-names></name><etal/></person-group> <article-title>MTHFR gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to myocardial infarction: Evidence from meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.</article-title> <source>Int J Cardiol Heart Vasc</source>. <year>2023</year> November 22;<volume>49</volume>:<elocation-id>101293</elocation-id>. <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1016/j.ijcha.2023.101293</pub-id><pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">38035258</pub-id></mixed-citation></ref>
<ref id="r3"><label>3</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Singh</surname><given-names>PR</given-names></name><name><surname>Lele</surname><given-names>SS</given-names></name></person-group>. <article-title>Folate gene polymorphisms MTR A2756G, MTRR A66G, and BHMT G742A and risk for coronary artery disease: a meta-analysis.</article-title> <source>Genet Test Mol Biomarkers</source>. <year>2012</year> June;<volume>16</volume>(<issue>6</issue>):<fpage>471</fpage>&#x2013;<lpage>5</lpage>. <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1089/gtmb.2011.0237</pub-id><pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">22339686</pub-id></mixed-citation></ref>
<ref id="r4"><label>4</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal"><person-group person-group-type="author"><name><surname>Mazokopakis</surname><given-names>EE</given-names></name><name><surname>Papadomanolaki</surname><given-names>MG</given-names></name><name><surname>Papadakis</surname><given-names>JA</given-names></name></person-group>. <article-title>The effects of folinic acid and l-methylfolate supplementation on serum total homocysteine levels in healthy adults.</article-title> <source>Clin Nutr ESPEN</source>. <year>2023</year> December;<volume>58</volume>:<fpage>14</fpage>&#x2013;<lpage>20</lpage>. <pub-id pub-id-type="doi">10.1016/j.clnesp.2023.09.002</pub-id><pub-id pub-id-type="pmid">38056998</pub-id></mixed-citation></ref>
</ref-list>
</back>
</article>
