Estrogen receptor beta gene haplotype is associated with pelvic organ prolapse.
OBJECTIVE
Estrogen and estrogen receptors are known to play important roles in the pathophysiology of pelvic organ prolapse (POP). We investigated whether estrogen receptor beta (ERbeta) gene polymorphisms were associated with POP by conducting a case-control association study in 69 women with POP and 141 women without POP.


METHODS
Genotypes of the ERbeta gene polymorphisms (rs2987983, rs1271572, rs944459, rs1256049, and rs1255998) were determined by polymerase chain reaction, followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. Haplotyping analysis was used to determine the relationship among five polymorphisms in the ERbeta gene and POP.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between women with and those without POP in the distribution of any of the genotypes evaluated. In haplotype frequency estimation analysis, haplotype CGCGC was more prevalent in women with POP (16.7%) than in women without POP (8.9%) (p=0.011). Using multivariable logistic regression, age, parity and haplotype CGCGC were significantly associated with POP.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the sample size of women with POP studied is small, the present study shows that ERbeta gene haplotype may be associated with POP.
Chen
Huey-Yi
HY
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, China Medical University Hospital, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
Wan
Lei
L
Chung
Ya-Wen
YW
Chen
Wei-Chi
WC
Tsai
Fuu-Jen
FJ
Tsai
Chang-Hai
CH
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000235:genetics*
D047629:Estrogen Receptor beta