title: The CD38 genotype (rs1800561 (4693C>T): R140W) is associated with an increased risk of admission to the neonatal intensive care unit.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Preterm birth (PTB)/admission to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is a complex disorder associated with significant neonatal mortality and morbidity and long-term adverse health consequences. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that genetic factors play an important role in its etiology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Given the role of CD38 in term delivery through oxytocin (OXT) release, we hypothesized that OXT signaling may play a role in the etiology of PTB/admission to the NICU. This study was designed to identify genetic variation in the CD38-oxytocin pathway associated with PTB/admission to the NICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  To identify common genetic variants predisposing individuals to PTB/admission to the NICU, we genotyped two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CD38-oxytocin pathway in 63 case mothers, 55 control mothers, and 188 female volunteers in Nara Medical University Hospital, Japan.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal genetic effect analysis of the SNP genotype data revealed a significant association between an SNP in CD38 (rs1800561 (4693C>T): R140W), which was reported to be correlated with diabetes and autism, and the risk of NICU admission. On the other hand, an SNP in the oxytocin receptor (OXTR) (rs2254298) showed no correlation with the risk of NICU admission.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study points to an association between maternal common polymorphisms in the CD38 (rs1800561) gene in Japanese women and susceptibility to PTB/admission to the NICU. Future studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm the findings of this study.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal Intensive Care, Perinatal Center, Nara Medical University Hospital, Kashihara 634-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Nobuko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Enami
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan.
authors.forename: Asako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Itaya-Hironaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan.
authors.forename: Akiyo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yamauchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan.
authors.forename: Sumiyo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakuramoto-Tsuchida
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Nara Medical University, Kashihara 634-8521, Japan. Electronic address: shintksw@naramed-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takasawa
authors.affiliation: Division of Neonatal Intensive Care, Perinatal Center, Nara Medical University Hospital, Kashihara 634-8522, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D000328:Adult; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000235:genetics*; D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018045:Receptors, Oxytocin; D051997:ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1
keywords: CD38; OXTR; Preterm birth; SNP