Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 4G/5G polymorphism and susceptibility to endometriosis in the Italian population.
OBJECTIVE
Some controversy exists for the potential association of the plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) gene polymorphism 4G/5G and susceptibility to endometriosis. To clarify this issue, we have examined the prevalence of this polymorphism in a case-control study in the Italian population.


METHODS
The PAI-1 4G/5G polymorphism was evaluated in n=368 reproductive year aged Caucasian women who underwent gynaecological laparoscopy for chronic pelvic pain, infertility, ovarian cysts and myomas. A second group of controls included n=329 normal subjects.


RESULTS
The 697 women enrolled were divided as follows: the endometriosis group (n=204), the gynaecological control group (n=164) and the general population control group (n=329). No statistical significant differences emerged between endometriosis patients and gynaecological controls with regard to the allele frequencies and co-dominant and dominant models of genotype distribution. A borderline statistical difference was only observed for the recessive model of inheritance in which, contrary to previous findings, the PAI-1 4G/4G genotype seems to be less linked to the disease development.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings reported herein do not support the previously reported data indicating a greater susceptibility to endometriosis in patients harbouring the PAI-1 4G/5G and 4G/4G genotypes and exclude a significant role of polymorphism in endometriosis development.
Gentilini
Davide
D
Molecular Biology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
Vigano
Paola
P
Castaldi
Davide
D
Mari
Daniela
D
Busacca
Mauro
M
Vercellini
Paolo
P
Somigliana
Edgardo
E
di Blasio
Anna Maria
AM
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency / Q000235:genetics; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease / Q000235:genetics*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D044465:White People / Q000208:ethnology / Q000235:genetics
D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1