BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a disorder that occurs in at least 5% of pregnancies and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. A dramatic increase of maternal serum inhibin A concentration in the second and third trimester of pregnancy is a common feature of PE and inhibin A measurement may add significant prognostic information for predicting PE in pregnant women. DESIGN: We evaluated the presence and prevalence of gene polymorphisms for inhibin alpha subunit (INHalpha) in patients affected by PE (no.=50; study group), and in the general population (control group composed of 103 women and 42 men). METHODS: DNA extraction, single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, DNA sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and Fisher's exact test were used. RESULTS: A 769G-->A transition was found in INHalpha1, but not in INHalpha2 or INHalpha3 fragment. This variant was found in 10/145 normal controls (7,6%), and in 1/50 preeclamptic patients (2%), without significant difference between the two groups (p=0.29). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of INHalpha gene variants is not increased in PE. Due to its frequency, the 769G-->A transition may be considered a polymorphism present in the general Italian population.
BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a disorder that occurs in at least 5% of pregnancies and affects both the mother and the unborn baby. A dramatic increase of maternal serum inhibin A concentration in the second and third trimester of pregnancy is a common feature of PE and inhibin A measurement may add significant prognostic information for predicting PE in pregnant women. DESIGN: We evaluated the presence and prevalence of gene polymorphisms for inhibin alpha subunit (INHalpha) in patients affected by PE (no.=50; study group), and in the general population (control group composed of 103 women and 42 men). METHODS: DNA extraction, single strand conformation polymorphism analysis, DNA sequencing, restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, and Fisher's exact test were used. RESULTS:A 769G-->A transition was found in INHalpha1, but not in INHalpha2 or INHalpha3 fragment. This variant was found in 10/145 normal controls (7,6%), and in 1/50 preeclamptic patients (2%), without significant difference between the two groups (p=0.29). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of INHalpha gene variants is not increased in PE. Due to its frequency, the 769G-->A transition may be considered a polymorphism present in the general Italian population.
Authors: A N Shelling; K A Burton; A L Chand; C C van Ee; J T France; C M Farquhar; S R Milsom; D R Love; K Gersak; K Aittomäki; I M Winship Journal: Hum Reprod Date: 2000-12 Impact factor: 6.918
Authors: W Vale; C Rivier; A Hsueh; C Campen; H Meunier; T Bicsak; J Vaughan; A Corrigan; W Bardin; P Sawchenko Journal: Recent Prog Horm Res Date: 1988
Authors: P Florio; L Cobellis; S Luisi; P Ciarmela; F M Severi; C Bocchi; F Petraglia Journal: Mol Cell Endocrinol Date: 2001-06-30 Impact factor: 4.102
Authors: Elias Zintzaras; Georgios Kitsios; Gavan A Harrison; Hannele Laivuori; Katja Kivinen; Juha Kere; Ioannis Messinis; Ioannis Stefanidis; John P A Ioannidis Journal: Hum Genet Date: 2006-07-26 Impact factor: 4.132