Formate concentrations in maternal plasma during pregnancy and in cord blood in a cohort of pregnant Canadian women: relations to genetic polymorphisms and plasma metabolites

One-carbon metabolism, responsible for purine and thymidylate synthesis and transmethylation reactions, plays a critical role in embryonic and fetal development. Formate is a key player in one-carbon metabolism. In contrast to other one-carbon metabolites, it is not linked to tetrahydrofolate, is present in plasma at appreciable concentrations, and may therefore be distributed to different tissues. The study was designed to determine the...