title: Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene may be protective against preeclampsia in a Chinese population.
abstract: The association between the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene with vascular diseases in Western populations and with severe preeclampsia (PE) in the Japanese population have been demonstrated, lacing the data in Chinese population. The authors examine the association between PE and 2 polymorphisms of the eNOS gene in a Chinese population, consisting of 92 pregnant women with PE and 256 healthy controls. All were genotyped for the Glu298Asp polymorphism in exon 7 and the number of 27 base pair repeats in intron 4 of the eNOS gene. The frequencies of both the variant T allele and eNOS 4a (small allele with 4 repeats of 27 bp) were significantly lower in the PE group than in the control group. The genotype distribution of Glu298Glu, Glu298Asp, and Asp298Asp in eNOS exon 7 and bb type and ab type in eNOS intron 4 revealed statistically significant differences between control and PE groups. This is the first study to evaluate the association between 2 polymorphisms in the maternal eNOS gene with PE simultaneously in a Chinese population. Similar to the findings in Western populations, polymorphisms in the eNOS gene may be protective against PE in a Chinese population, in contrast to the results in the Japanese population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Kuei
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chi-Hsiang
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Heui-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Chien-Nan
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ming-Kwang
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Shyu
authors.forename: Fon-Jou
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.forename: Ling-Ping
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Wei-Zen
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001483:Base Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002897:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 7 / Q000235:genetics; D004587:Electrophoresis, Agar Gel; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III