Tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene G308A polymorphism is associated with the risk of preterm delivery.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between polymorphism in tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-alpha)/G308A and preterm delivery (PTD). Between July 1999 and June 2001, we conducted a molecular epidemiological study on genetic determinants of PTD at Anqing Hospital, China.


METHODS
In a case-control-parent triads study, we investigated a total of 133 nuclear families: 79 normal gestational age families and 54 PTD families. A DNA extraction and polymerase chain reaction followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis were used to genotype for the presence of TNF-alpha/G308A polymorphism.


RESULTS
Gestational age was analyzed as a binary variable. Multiple logistic regression analysis results showed that TNF-alpha/A308A genotype was significantly increased the risk of preterm delivery (OR = 0.039, 95% CI: 1.14-128.75). In consistence with the population based multiple logistic regression analysis, Family Based Association Test (FBAT) analysis showed that TNF-alpha/308A allele was associated with preterm delivery as 308A-recessive inheritance model and 308A-additive inheritance model both gave rise to the significant result (P = 0.040 and P = 0.018 respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Carriage of the mutant 308A allele of TNF-alpha/G308A polymorphism is associated with preterm delivery, which may be genuine etiologic factors of PTD.
Chen
Dafang
D
Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Peking University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China. dafangchen@bjmu.edu.cn
Hu
Yonghua
Y
Wu
Baiyan
B
Chen
Li
L
Fang
Zhi'an
Z
Yang
Fan
F
Wang
Lihua
L
D000483:Alleles; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha