Rafael Tomoya Michita1, Francis Maria Báo Zambra1, Lucas Rosa Fraga1, Maria Teresa Sanseverino1,2,3, Lavínia Schuler-Faccini1,2,3, José Artur Bogo Chies4, Priscila Vianna1. 1. Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves Avenue 9500, Campus do Vale, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91501970, Brazil. 2. National Institute of Science and Technology in Population Medical Genetics (INAGEMP), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 3. Medical Genetics Service, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. 4. Department of Genetics, Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Bento Gonçalves Avenue 9500, Campus do Vale, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 91501970, Brazil. jabchies@terra.com.br.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a multifactorial reproductive disorder where an impaired control of apoptosis is likely involved. Triggering the cell death mechanism occurs in a spatiotemporal manner and is strongly related to a healthy pregnancy. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the regulatory regions of genes are known to influence the expression patterns of apoptosis-related molecules. METHODS: A total of 296 unrelated female Brazilian patients were evaluated for clinical-demographic variables and genetic factors: 140 women who had experienced an unexplained RPL (with at least two consecutive abortions) and 156 healthy multiparous women. In all patients, six SNPs were evaluated in genes of apoptosis-related pathways: FAS (rs2234767, rs1800682), FAS-L (rs763110, rs5030772), BAX (rs4645878), and BCL-2 (rs2279115) by PCR followed by a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based analysis. RESULTS: The BAX-248GA genotype is independently associated with idiopathic RPL [adjusted OR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.13-0.70, P = 0.005] susceptibility. In the same multivariate model, the variables ethnicity, smoking, and alcohol consumption were statistically associated with RPL susceptibility (P < 0.05). No association with RPL susceptibility was reported for the remaining SNPs. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to evaluate the role of the main SNPs from both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in RPL susceptibility. The association of BAX-248G/A with RPL susceptibility suggests that maternal predisposition for RPL has an essential contribution from genes involved in the delicate balance of endometrium cell turnover (cell death/proliferation). Therefore, apoptotic genes may represent promising targets for future studies on healthy pregnancies and the spectrum of pregnancy disorders.
PURPOSE:Idiopathic recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) is a multifactorial reproductive disorder where an impaired control of apoptosis is likely involved. Triggering the cell death mechanism occurs in a spatiotemporal manner and is strongly related to a healthy pregnancy. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at the regulatory regions of genes are known to influence the expression patterns of apoptosis-related molecules. METHODS: A total of 296 unrelated female Brazilian patients were evaluated for clinical-demographic variables and genetic factors: 140 women who had experienced an unexplained RPL (with at least two consecutive abortions) and 156 healthy multiparous women. In all patients, six SNPs were evaluated in genes of apoptosis-related pathways: FAS (rs2234767, rs1800682), FAS-L (rs763110, rs5030772), BAX (rs4645878), and BCL-2 (rs2279115) by PCR followed by a restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based analysis. RESULTS: The BAX-248GA genotype is independently associated with idiopathic RPL [adjusted OR = 0.30, 95% CI 0.13-0.70, P = 0.005] susceptibility. In the same multivariate model, the variables ethnicity, smoking, and alcohol consumption were statistically associated with RPL susceptibility (P < 0.05). No association with RPL susceptibility was reported for the remaining SNPs. CONCLUSION: Our study is the first to evaluate the role of the main SNPs from both the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptosis pathways in RPL susceptibility. The association of BAX-248G/A with RPL susceptibility suggests that maternal predisposition for RPL has an essential contribution from genes involved in the delicate balance of endometrium cell turnover (cell death/proliferation). Therefore, apoptotic genes may represent promising targets for future studies on healthy pregnancies and the spectrum of pregnancy disorders.
Authors: Jianming Wu; Christine Metz; Xiulong Xu; Riichiro Abe; Andrew W Gibson; Jeffrey C Edberg; Jennifer Cooke; Fenglong Xie; Glinda S Cooper; Robert P Kimberly Journal: J Immunol Date: 2003-01-01 Impact factor: 5.422
Authors: Kathryn Sibley; Sara Rollinson; James M Allan; Alexandra G Smith; Graham R Law; Philippa L Roddam; Christine F Skibola; Martyn T Smith; Gareth J Morgan Journal: Cancer Res Date: 2003-08-01 Impact factor: 12.701