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Published on: August 20, 2019
Vitamin D receptor polymorphism FokI is associated with spontaneous idiopathic preterm birth in an Israeli population
Lauren Manzon1, Gheona Altarescu2, Aharon Tevet1
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 12 Bayit Street, Shaare Zedek Medical Center, Jerusalem 91031, Israel.
Objective:
The active form of vitamin D (1,25[OH]2D3) has been established to have potent anti-proliferative, immuno-modulatory, and anti-microbial action in addition to its effects on bone. The nuclear vitamin D receptor (VDR) is expressed in the placenta-decidua, regulating genes associated with implantation and implantation immuno-tolerance. If VDR polymorphisms regulate VDR functionality at the placenta-decidua interface, VDR genotypes may be involved in idiopathic preterm birth (PTB).
Study Design:
Maternal and fetal (umbilical cord) blood samples from 33 Jewish and Arab mothers with PTB of a singleton neonate were compared to 98 samples from Jewish and Arab maternal and fetal blood samples from full-term, uncomplicated singleton births. Maternal age and ethnicity were comparable between groups. PCR amplification/digestion identified the VDR SNPs: FokI, ApaI, TaqI, and BsmI.
Results:
Allele frequency for the FokI VDR in maternal blood samples from preterm births (but not umbilical cord samples) was significantly different (p=0.01) from that in maternal and umbilical cord blood samples from full-term singleton births, with an odds ratio for FokI carriers of 3.317 (95% CI, 1.143, 9.627) for preterm birth. The FokI VDR variant may therefore be a maternal risk trait for PTB among these women.
Conclusion:
This study may support a future platform for the study of vitamin D during pregnancy and treatment of selective target populations with vitamin D and/or VDR "tissue-specific therapeutic intervention" for prevention of PTB.
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