Differential gene expression at the maternal-fetal interface in preeclampsia is influenced by gestational age.
Genome-wide transcription data of utero-placental tissue has been used to identify altered gene expression associated with preeclampsia (PE). As many women with PE deliver preterm, there is often a difference in gestational age between PE women and healthy pregnant controls. This may pose a potential bias since gestational age has been shown to dramatically influence gene expression in utero-placental tissue. By pooling data from three genome-wide transcription studies of the maternal-fetal interface, we have evaluated the relative effect of gestational age and PE on gene expression. A total of 18,180 transcripts were evaluated in 49 PE cases and 105 controls, with gestational age ranging from week 14 to 42. A total of 22 transcripts were associated with PE, whereas 92 transcripts with gestational age (nominal P value <1.51*10(-6), Bonferroni adjusted P value <0.05). Our results indicate that gestational age has a great influence on gene expression both in normal and PE-complicated pregnancies. This effect might introduce serious bias in data analyses and needs to be carefully assessed in future genome-wide transcription studies.
Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
Ingrid A
IA
Lian
Mette
M
Langaas
Eric
E
Moses
Åsa
Å
Johansson
D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D059467:Transcriptome