Genetic expressions of thrombophilic factors in patients with Sheehan’s syndrome

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of factors associated with coagulation in the etiology and pathogenesis of Sheehan’s syndrome (SS) which is a frequent cause of hypopituitarism in underdeveloped and developing regions of the world.

Methods: Mean prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and expression levels of genes, which included methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), angiotensin I converting enzyme (ACE), coagulation factor V (FV), FVII, FVIII and FIX in 44 patients with SS were compared with 43 healthy subjects.

Results: The mean expression level of the ACE gene was significantly lower, while that of the FV gene was significantly higher in the patients with SS. No significant difference was found between the patients with SS and the healthy subjects in the comparisons of the remaining gene expression values, as well as in the PT and APTT values.

Conclusion: An increased expression of the FV gene may be a contributing factor for the development of SS in some patients. Further studies are required to clarify the roles of coagulation disorders in the development of SS.

Chinese abstract

目的: 在全球的不发达和发展中地区, 席汉氏综合征 (SS) 常引起垂体功能减退。本研究的目的是评估与凝血相关的因素在席汉氏综合征病因和发病机制中的作用。

方法: 比较44个席汉氏综合征患者和43个健康受试者的平均凝血酶原时间 (PT) , 活化部分凝血活酶时间 (APTT) 和基因的表达水平, 其中包括亚甲基四氢叶酸还原酶 (MTHFR) , 血管紧张肽Ⅰ转化酶 (ACE) , 凝血因子V (FV) 、FVⅡ、FVⅢ和FIX。

结果: 席汉氏综合征患者ACE基因的平均表达水平显著降低, 然而FV基因的平均表达水平却显著升高。比较席汉氏综合征患者和健康受试者的剩余基因表达值, 包括PT和APTT值, 没有发现显著差异。

结论: FV基因表达增强可能是一些席汉氏综合征患者疾病发展的驱动因素, 需要进一步的研究来阐明凝血功能障碍对于席汉氏综合征发展的作用。

Keywords:

• Etiopathogenesis
• genetic
• Sheehan’s syndrome
• thrombophilia

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.

By Erciyes University (funding no: 12–3969).