What is DHFR?

This video by MTHFR Support™ discusses the importance of the gene DHFR.

DHFR stands for dihydrofolate reductase. Dihydrofolate reductase converts dihydrofolate into tetrahydrofolate, a methyl group shuttle required for the de novo synthesis of purines, bimidylic acid, and certain amino acids.

The catalytic activity is 5, 6, 7, 8, tetrahydrofolate plus NADP, which equals 7,8-dihydrofolate plus NADPH. The pathway for dihydrofolate receptor is cofactor biosynthesis tetrahydrofolate biosynthesis, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate from 7,8-dihydrofolate. The molecular functions for DHFR are dihydrofolate reductase activity, MRNA binding, drug binding, and NADP binding. The biological processes for this gene are folic acid metabolic process, glycine biosynthetic process, nitric oxide metabolic process, 1-carbon metabolic process, regulation of transcription involved in G1S transition of mitotic cell cycle, small molecule metabolic process, tetrahydrofolate metabolic process, water-soluble vitamin metabolic process, G1S transition of mitotic cell cycle, mitotic cell cycle, nucleotide biosynthetic process, regulation of nitric oxide, synthase activity, response to methotrexate, tetrahydrofolate biosynthetic process, and vitamin metabolic process.

Certain drugs used to fight cancer and anti-malarials can inhibit DHFR, such as trimethoprim, pyrimethamine, chloralguanide or proguanil, pentamidine, methotrexate, and trimetrexate. DHFR gene is related to megaloblastic anemia and cerebral folate deficiency. Some people with DHFR compromised genes might have a hard time converting folic acid into the active bioavailable form of folate. Folic acid has been fortified into many processed foods such as flour, rice, bread, pasta, and cereals. You can get natural sources of folate in leafy greens, beans, eggs, and berries. Folic acid has been found to act as an inhibitor of the DHFR genes.