title: A low COMT activity haplotype is associated with recurrent preeclampsia in a Norwegian population cohort (HUNT2).
abstract: The etiology of preeclampsia is complex, with susceptibility being attributable to multiple environmental factors and a large genetic component. Although many candidate genes for preeclampsia have been suggested and studied, the specific causative genes still remain to be identified. Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is an enzyme involved in catecholamine and estrogen degradation and has recently been ascribed a role in development of preeclampsia. In the present study, we have examined the COMT gene by genotyping the functional Val108/158Met polymorphism (rs4680) and an additional single-nucleotide polymorphism, rs6269, predicting COMT activity haplotypes in a large Norwegian case/control cohort (n(cases)= 1135, n(controls)= 2262). A low COMT activity haplotype is associated with recurrent preeclampsia in our cohort. This may support the role of redox-regulated signaling and oxidative stress in preeclampsia pathogenesis as suggested by recent studies in a genetic mouse model. The COMT gene might be a genetic risk factor shared between preeclampsia and cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim 7006, Norway. linda.tommerdal@ntnu.no
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Roten
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fenstad
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Forsmo
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Moses
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Austgulen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Skorpen
mesh_terms: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006239:Haplotypes / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D009664:Norway; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics*; D011247:Pregnancy; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D002394:Catechol O-Methyltransferase