An Angiopoietin-2 gene polymorphism in unexplained intrauterine fetal death: a multi-center study.
OBJECTIVE
Angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) is a potent regulator of angiogenesis and vascular tone. As vascular processes have been proposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of pregnancy associated complications such as late unexplained intrauterine fetal death (IUFD), we determined whether a common G/A polymorphism of the Ang-2 gene (ANGPT2) is associated with this condition.


METHODS
In a multicenter case-control study, we evaluated the common G/A polymorphism within exon 4 of the ANGPT2 gene using PCR in 90 women with IUFD and 90 healthy women with at least one uncomplicated full term pregnancy and no history of IUFD.


RESULTS
Genotype (p=0.2; OR=1.4 [0.8-2.6]) and allele frequencies (p=0.1; OR=1.4 [0.9-2.1]) of the ANGPT2 polymorphism did not differ between women with IUFD and healthy women. A multivariate regression analysis with smoking habits and preexisting diabetes as covariates did not change the results.


CONCLUSIONS
We are the first to report on a common polymorphism of the ANGPT2 gene in patients with late IUFD. The investigated ANGPT2 poylmorphism does not seem to be a candidate gene for IUFD in Caucasian women.
Huber
Ambros
A
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria. ambros.huber@meduniwien.ac.at
Grimm
Christoph
C
Pietrowski
Detlef
D
Zeillinger
Robert
R
Bettendorf
Hertha
H
Husslein
Peter
P
Hefler
Lukas
L
D000328:Adult; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011247:Pregnancy
D042702:Angiopoietin-2