Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene polymorphism in pre-eclampsia: a pilot study in North India.
BACKGROUND
Pre-eclampsia is one of the most frequent complications of pregnancy, however, little is known about its aetiology.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to investigate the association between inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) genotypes and pre-eclampsia. We also measured the concentrations of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in patients with pre-eclampsia to evaluate their relations to the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) observed.


METHODS
This cross-sectional study included 30 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and 30 healthy pregnant women. They were screened at 28th, 36th weeks of gestation and just after delivery (within 48 h), and their blood samples were analysed for NO, SOD, TNF-alpha and iNOS gene polymorphism.


RESULTS
Patients with pre-eclampsia at 36 weeks gestation showed significantly increased serum NO levels (P=0.007), whereas SOD activity was decreased significantly (P=0.004). A doublefold increase was observed in TNF-alpha levels at 36 weeks in patients with pre-eclampsia (P=0.003) which decreased significantly (P=0.001) after delivery. A total of four SNPs were observed, of which two (G300A exon 8 and G274T exon 16) showed statistically significant association with pre-eclampsia. When compared, G274T exon 16 SNP also showed association with TNF-alpha levels and SOD activity in pre-eclamptic patients.


CONCLUSIONS
As pre-eclampsia is a disease of multifactorial aetiopathology, NO, TNF-alpha, SOD activity and NOS2A polymorphism might play an intermingled role in its development.
Bhatnagar
Sonu
S
Department of Biochemistry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, India. sonu123bhatnagar@yahoo.co.in
Bhattacharjee
Jayashree
J
Vaid
Mudit
M
Madan
Taruna
T
Trivedi
Shubha S
SS
Sarma
Puranam U
PU
D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000097:blood; D010865:Pilot Projects; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000097:blood
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D010088:Oxidoreductases; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C048879:nitrite dehydrogenase