The analysis of polymorphisms in the MTHFR gene has revealed associations with cancer; in particular the C677T polymorphism, which has been suggested to affect folate metabolism, DNA methylation, synthesis, and repair, and to contribute to tumor promotion in the mammary gland.
Finally, we analyzed the impact that a possible senescent checkpoint might have in the tumor promotion inhibition observed, crossing these lines to mammary specific p53(R172H) mutant expression, and to p27 knock-out mice.