Abstract
Objective: Trophoblast expression of Human Leukocyte Antigene-G (HLA-G) is essential for feto-maternal immune tolerance and successful placentation. There is contradicting evidence on the relationship between HLA-G polymorphisms and preeclampsia (PE), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH). Here, we investigate the association between both maternal and fetal HLA-G 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism and obstetrical complications.
Methods: Clinical and genetic data of 282 women/fetuses (31 severe PE, 8 mild PE, 46 IUGR, 42 PIH and 155 controls) were analyzed both individually and jointly under a codominant, a dominant and a recessive model.
Results: HLA-G 14 bp polymorphism was not associated with obstetrical complications, considering the mother and fetus genotypes both jointly and individually.
Conclusions: With this study we filled several gaps occurring in previous studies: we analyzed a very well-defined population of PE, PIH and IUGR pregnancies, considering both fetal and maternal HLA-G 14 bp polymorphism, individually and jointly. Our findings showed that fetal and maternal HLA-G 14 bp genotypes are not associated with increased risk for the development of obstetrical complications, suggesting that this polymorphism has no immuno-modulatory role in the development of PE, PIH or IUGR.
Declaration of interest
The authors report no conflicts of interest
This work has been financially supported by grants from Fondazione Giorgio Pardi, by ASM (Associazione Italiana per lo Studio delle Malformazioni) and by Grant of the Italian Ministry of University and Research PRIN 2010-2011 prot. 20102chst5_005 “Parto pre-termine: markers molecolari, biochimici e biofisici dell' unità feto-placentare”.