title: Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene Glu298Asp polymorphism and expression in North Indian preeclamptic women.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pathophysiological processes in preeclampsia (PE) are influenced by genetic factors, nitric oxide synthases seem to play important roles, although their expression in and their role is still unclear. To better characterize the host genetic factors determining the susceptibility to PE, we evaluated the influence of polymorphisms (Glu298Asp) in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene on the risk of developing PE by checking the expression level.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a hospital-based case-control study including 300 women with preeclampsia and 200 healthy pregnant women. Their blood samples were analyzed for levels of nitric oxide, eNOS gene polymorphism and expression. eNOS mRNA levels were determined using RT-PCR and expressed as arbitrary units after correction with control β-Actin gene mRNA levels.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mRNA expression of eNOS gene was found to be significantly lower in blood (P<0.05) from women with PE compared to that from normal pregnancies. The total nitric oxide levels (P<0.001) were decreased in study Group as compared to healthy pregnant patients. The intergenotypic variation of nitric oxide levels in preeclamptic women was found to be significant (P<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate the relationship between reduced nitric oxide levels and eNOS gene polymorphism leading to its altered expression in preeclamptic women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi 110001, India. Electronic address: sharmadeepikalhmc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India. Electronic address: akhtarhusain2000@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India. Electronic address: naseem.du@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Akhter
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi 110001, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi 110001, India.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Trivedi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi 110001, India. Electronic address: jaya_bhatta@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bhatttacharjee
keywords: Expression; India; Nitric oxide; Preeclampsia; Single nucleotide polymorphism; eNOS gene