FAS A-670G and Fas ligand IVS2nt A 124G polymorphisms are significantly increased in women with pre-eclampsia and may contribute to HELLP syndrome: a case-controlled study.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the association between the Fas-670A/G and the Fas ligand FasL IVS2nt 124 A/G polymorphisms and the risk of pre-eclampsia and its complications.


DESIGN
A case-controlled study.


SETTING
University Hospitals in most areas of Tunisia.


POPULATION
We recruited 300 pregnant women who developed pre-eclampsia and 300 age-matched healthy pregnant women from the same hospital.


METHODS
Genotyping of Fas-670A/G and the FasL IVS2nt 124A/G gene polymorphisms were conducted using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism among our cohort.


MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Fisher's exact test was used to compare the statistical differences between groups for categorical variables and Student t tests were used for continuous variables.


RESULTS
The frequency of the Fas-670G gene variant was significantly increased in women with pre-eclampsia (42%) compared with control women (30%; P < 0.001). Also, a statistically significant difference was obtained in the distribution of the FasL IVS2nt 124G gene variant when comparing women with pre-eclampsia (43%) with controls (30%; P < 0.001). Interestingly, we found that the carriage of Fas-670G was associated with increased liver enzymes, suggesting an increased prevalence of the haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome, a pre-eclampsia complication.


CONCLUSION
The Fas-670G and FasL IVS2nt 124G polymorphisms are associated with a higher risk of pre-eclampsia and its complications.


TWEETABLE ABSTRACT
Polymorphisms in the Fas and FasL genes are associated with increased risk of pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.
['Raguema|N|N|', 'Zitouni|H|H|', 'Ben Ali Gannoun|M|M|', 'Benletaifa|D|D|', 'Almawi|W Y|WY|', 'Mahjoub|T|T|', 'Lavoie|J L|JL|']
D000328:Adult D016022:Case-Control Studies D053222:Fas Ligand Protein D005260:Female D005787:Gene Frequency D005838:Genotype D017359:HELLP Syndrome D006579:Heterozygote D006801:Humans D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length D011225:Pre-Eclampsia D011247:Pregnancy D012189:Retrospective Studies D055815:Young Adult D019014:fas Receptor
Fas Fas ligand polymorphisms pre-eclampsia haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelets (HELLP) syndrome hepatic enzyme levels