A low COMT activity haplotype is associated with recurrent preeclampsia in a Norwegian population cohort (HUNT2).
Mol Hum Reprod 2011;
17:439-46. [PMID:
21355050 PMCID:
PMC3116680 DOI:
10.1093/molehr/gar014]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2010] [Revised: 01/23/2011] [Accepted: 02/17/2011] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
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.
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