title: The relationship between polymorphisms in the promoter region of Tim-3 and unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion in Han Chinese women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) refers to 2 or more consecutive pregnancy losses, and RSA with unknown causes is called unexplained recurrent spontaneous abortion (URSA). Tim-3, a subtype of the T-cell immunoglobulin domain and mucin domain (Tim) protein family, might be an important regulatory molecule that plays a pivotal role in URSA, which might be triggered mostly by Th1/Th2 immune deviation. To understand the etiology and pathogenesis of URSA in Han Chinese women, we investigated the association between polymorphisms of rs10053538 and rs10515746 in the promoter of Tim-3 and the risk of URSA in Han Chinese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and forty-eight women with RSA resulting in still birth were enrolled in the URSA group. We performed tests to rule out congenital reproductive system malformation, reproductive system tumor, endocrine dyscrasia, and chromosome abnormalities. One hundred and fifty-three women with normal pregnancy leading to live birth were selected at random to comprise the control group. All women included in this study were genetically unrelated Han Chinese women. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) and allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (AS-PCR) were used to determine polymorphisms of rs10053538 and rs10515746, respectively, in all subjects. PCR products were chosen at random for sequencing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant statistical difference was found between the distribution frequency of the GT + TT genotype and T allele on the rs10053538 locus in the URSA group or the control group (10.1% vs. 11.8%, Chi(2) = 0.205, P = 0.651; 5.1% vs. 6.5%, Chi(2) = 0.592, P = 0.441; respectively). Neither was there a significant difference between the distribution frequency of the GT + TT genotype and T allele on the rs10515746 locus in the groups (6.8% vs. 3.9%, Chi(2)1.201, P = 0.273; 3.4% vs. 2.0%, Chi(2) = 1.169, P = 0.280; respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggested that these polymorphisms of rs10053538 or rs10515746 in the Tim-3 promoter may not be associated with URSA in Han Chinese women.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Dun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Baojin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Congcheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Chiting
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Lilong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: The Public Laboratory, Taizhou Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Wenzhou Medical College, Linhai, Zhejiang 317000, China. immunol@126.com.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000022:Abortion, Spontaneous / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D005260:Female; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy
chemical_list: C448908:HAVCR2 protein, human; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins