Vascular endothelial growth factor +936 C/T polymorphism is associated with an increased risk of endometriosis in a Japanese population.
BACKGROUND
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration in endometriosis patients is higher than controls, in serum and ascites, suggesting that VEGF may play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms in the VEGF gene are associated with endometriosis in a Japanese population.


METHODS
Genotyping of VEGF -460 C/T, +405 G/C and +936 C/T polymorphisms were performed in 147 endometriosis cases diagnosed by laparotomy or laparoscopy at a university hospital, and 181 controls, by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. We compared the genotype distribution and allele frequency of these 3 polymorphisms between endometriosis patients and controls.


RESULTS
No significant differences in the frequency and genotype distribution of VEGF -460 C/T, +405 G/C and +936 C/T polymorphisms were found between the endometriosis patients (all disease stages) and controls. However, a positive association was found between stage III-IV disease and the VEGF +936 T allele (p=0.018).


CONCLUSIONS
The VEGF +936 T allele is associated with an increased risk of stage III-IV endometriosis in a Japanese population.
Ikuhashi
Yoshiyuki
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Japan.
Yoshida
Shigeki
S
Kennedy
Stephen
S
Zondervan
Krina
K
Takemura
Naoya
N
Deguchi
Masashi
M
Ohara
Noriyuki
N
Maruo
Takeshi
T
D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000235:genetics*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015810:Linkage Disequilibrium / Q000235:genetics; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000235:genetics*
C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A