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 (ncases = 1135, ncontrols= 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.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | gar014 |
Pages (from-to) | 439-446 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Molecular Human Reproduction |
Volume | 17 |
Issue number | 7 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 2011 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- 158Met
- COMT
- Catechol-O-methyltransferase
- Haplotypes
- Preeclampsia
- Val108
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Reproductive Medicine
- Embryology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Developmental Biology
- Cell Biology