Genetic Aspects of Preeclampsia: The Role of Polymorphisms in the Genes of the Renin-Angiotensin System.

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is a severe complication that develops in 10% pregnant women. It is the leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The goal of this study was to reveal the frequency of polymorphisms in the angiotensin-converting enzyme gene (ACE I/D) and type 1 angiotensin II receptor gene (AGTR1 A1166C) in pregnant women with severe early- and late-onset PE. A retrospective case-control study of 55 pregnant women with PE (main group) and 30 patients with uncomplicated pregnancy (control group) was conducted. In the main group, we considered two subgroups - early-onset PE (20 patients) and late-onset PE (36 patients). The I/D polymorphism of the ACE gene is associated with the risk of developing PE. The presence of the D allele increases the risk of severe PE. In case of DD genotype, the probability of early-onset PE is 5 times higher than that of the late-onset PE. The analyzed data confirm the involvement of renin-angiotensin system in the PE development. We conclude that the ACE gene polymorphism is a genetic predictor of the early-onset severe PE. Studying the polymorphic loci of the ACE gene makes it possible to use them for the individualized prognosis of the development and course of PE in patients.