Association of gene polymorphisms of aldosterone synthase and angiotensin converting enzyme in pre-eclamptic South African Black women.

INTRODUCTION

The exact cause of preeclampsia (PE) remains elusive. Recently, many researchers have focused on the role of genetic variations in pathogenesis of PE. The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system is affected in the pathogenesis of PE.

OBJECTIVES

To determine association of gene polymorphisms of aldosterone synthase (CYP11B2) and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in PE and normotensive South African Black women.

METHODS

A group of 603 South African Black pregnant women, 246 normotensive and 357 with PE, was recruited. Purified DNA was extracted from venous blood. The distribution and frequencies of gene polymorphisms of CYP11B2 (C-344T) and ACE deletion/insertion (D/I) were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction.

RESULTS

As the main outcome measure, the risk of C allele for PE was 1.28 (95%CI: 0.94-1.74; p = .1) for all allele comparisons. Thus no significant association with development of PE was observed for the CYP11B2 variants. However, post analysis of the distribution of TT genotypes of CYP11B2 were higher in the HIV uninfected normotensive than in the HIV uninfected PE group (OR: 0.47, 95%CI: 0.27-0.79, p = .0027). The C alleles of late-onset PE and HIV uninfected PE were higher than all normotensive and HIV uninfected normotensive (OR: 1.47, 95%CI: 1.02-2.10, p = .03 and OR: 1.77, 95%CI: 1.13-2.81, p = .0094 respectively). The CT genotype of CYP11B2 was statistically significant between normotensive and PE in HIV uninfected groups (OR: 2.24, 95%CI: 1.28-3.98, p = .0026). There was no significant difference in frequencies of D/I for ACE gene in PE.