title: Genetic polymorphisms of vascular endothelial growth factor in severe pre-eclampsia.
abstract: Several lines of evidence support the hypothesis that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of pre-eclampsia (PE). VEGF is a key component in the regulation of vascular remodelling and the survival of cytotrophoblasts in the placenta. In this case-control study, we aimed to test whether VEGF genetic polymorphisms are associated with the risk of severe PE. We enrolled 84 nulliparous pregnant women with severe PE (PE group). Their VEGF G(+405)C and VEGF C(-2578)A genotypes were determined by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) from venous blood samples and were compared with the corresponding VEGF genotypes of 96 nulliparous patients with uncomplicated pregnancies (control group). Carriers of the VEGF(+405)G allele occurred less frequently in PE than in the control group [P = 0.039; adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.28, range: 0.08-0.93]. Hypertension and proteinuria were diagnosed earlier (by 1.6 weeks and 1.9 weeks, respectively) in PE patients with VEGF(-2578)A only after adjustment of this association for risk factors of PE. Our results suggest that carriers of VEGF(+405)G allele have a decreased susceptibility to PE and that the progression of PE may be modified by the presence of VEGF(-2578)A allele. Nevertheless, the clinical significance of these findings remains to be determined.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pediatrics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest. banyasz@gyer1.sote.hu
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bányász
authors.forename: Szilvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Géza
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bokodi
authors.forename: Adám
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vannay
authors.forename: Barna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Vásárhelyi
authors.forename: András
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szabó
authors.forename: Tivadar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tulassay
authors.forename: János
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rigó
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A