Relationship between Fas and Fas Ligand gene polymorphisms and pre-eclampsia

Aim: In normal pregnancy, the Th1 subtype, responsible for the production of inflammatory cytokines, is reduced, and the Th2 subtype is increased to prohibit inflammation. In pre-eclampsia, the Th1 cell population is increased; thus, subsequent inflammation and trophoblast destruction occur. Polymorphisms in the Fas and Fas Ligand (FasL) promoter regions can influence Fas and FasL expression and accused to increase of Th1 subtype.

Methods: DNA samples from 153 pregnant women with pre-eclampsia and 140 controls were genotyped through polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. A Fisher's exact test was used to compare the distribution of individual polymorphisms.

Results: Fas-1377 AA, AG and GG genotypes were observed in 2.61%, 18.30% and 79.08% in the pre-eclampsia group opposed to 0%, 27.14% and 72.85% in the control group (P = 0.037), respectively. Fas-670 AA, AG and GG genotypes were observed in 37.9%, 41.8% and 20.3% of pre-eclampsia patients compared with 33.6%, 50.7% and 15.7% in healthy pregnant women (P = 0.291), respectively. No statically significant differences in the FasL-844 genotype were observed between the groups (P = 0.69).

Conclusion: The Fas-1377G > A polymorphism is associated with a higher risk of pre-eclampsia.