title: The N314D polymorphism of the GALT gene is not associated with congenital absence of the uterus and vagina.
abstract: The aetiology of anomalous embryonic and fetal development of the female reproductive tract, ranging from common uterine abnormalities to the somewhat rare congenital absence of the uterus and vagina (CAUV), is unknown. Some have proposed that abnormal galactose metabolism might cause CAUV. An association between CAUV and the N314D allele of the galactose-1-phosphate uridyl transferase (GALT) gene has been proposed as aetiological. We tested this hypothesis further by performing a case-control molecular study analysing 32 patients with CAUV for the presence of the N314D allele. These patients were compared with 138 normal controls. No association between CAUV and the N314D polymorphism was found (P = 0.32). It is unlikely that either maternal or fetal GALT enzyme activity could affect paramesonephric duct development, because neither galactosaemic subjects nor their children have an increased incidence of uterine anomalies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Room KS-322, Boston, MA 02215, USA. skilpste@caregroup.harvard.edu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Klipstein
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bhagavath
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Topipat
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sasur
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Reindollar
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Gray
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D005694:UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D014599:Uterus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D014621:Vagina / Q000002:abnormalities*
chemical_list: D005694:UTP-Hexose-1-Phosphate Uridylyltransferase