Folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 and the maintenance of nuclear and mitochondrial genome integrity

Posted by Chantel M. Contributed by US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health


According to the study of "Folate (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12 and their function in the maintenance of nuclear and mitochondrial genome integrity' by Fenech M.,posted in US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, researcher found that show that folate and/or vitamin B12 deficiency and elevated plasma homocysteine (a metabolic indicator of folate deficiency) are significantly correlated with increased micronucleus formation and reduced telomere length respectively. In vitro experiments indicate that genomic instability in human cells is minimised when folic acid concentration in culture medium is greater than 100nmol/L.