A single nucleotide A>G polymorphism at position -670 in the Fas gene promoter: relationship to preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes in multifetal pregnancies.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between a polymorphism at position -670 in the Fas gene (TNFRSF6) and preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) in multifetal pregnancies was examined.


METHODS
Buccal swabs from 119 mother-infant sets were analyzed for an adenine (A) to guanine (G) substitution at position -670 in the TNFRSF6 promoter. Pregnancy outcome data were subsequently obtained. Analysis was by Fisher exact test.


RESULTS
Maternal allele G homozygosity (TNFRSF6*G) was observed in 42.4% of 33 PPROM pregnancies as opposed to 19.5% of 77 with no spontaneous preterm birth (P = .01). Similarly, TNFRSF6*G homozygosity was present in 37.5% of 32 first-born neonates from PPROM pregnancies as opposed to 18.7% of 75 uncomplicated pregnancies (P = .04). PPROM occurred in 8 of 14 (57.1%) pregnancies in which mother and all neonates were TNFRSF6*G homozygotes as opposed to 25 of 105 (23.8%) cases in which uniform TNFRSF6*G homozygosity was not observed (P = .02).


CONCLUSIONS
A genetic variant in the Fas gene is associated with an increased rate of PPROM in multifetal pregnancies.
Kalish
Robin B
RB
Division of Meternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10021, USA.
Nguyen
Daniel P
DP
Vardhana
Santosh
S
Gupta
Meruka
M
Perni
Sriram C
SC
Witkin
Steven S
SS
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005322:Premature Rupture of Fetal Membranes / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City / Q000453:epidemiology; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D012307:Risk Factors; D019014:fas Receptor
C491901:FAS protein, human; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D019014:fas Receptor