The NLRP3 rs10754558 polymorphism is a risk factor for preeclampsia in a Chinese Han population

Previous studies have indicated that the nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is activated by monosodium urate in the trophoblast of preeclampsia (PE) patients, leading to augmented placental IL-1β levels. Thus, the purpose of our study was to investigate the association between NLRP3 polymorphisms, rs10754558 and rs2027432, and PE in Chinese Han population.

The NLRP3 polymorphisms, rs10754558 and rs2027432, were genotyped by real-time PCR in 1024 PE patients and 1194 control subjects. A χ² test was used to compare the genetic distribution between the two groups, and an analysis of variance was used to conduct the genotype-phenotype analysis.

We demonstrated a significant difference in genotypic frequency of the rs10754558 (χ² = 9.97, p = .007) in NLRP3 between PE patients and controls. Additionally, there was a significant difference between cases and controls in the dominant model of G allele (χ² = 7.70, p = .006, odds ratio =0.77, 95%confidence interval 0.64-0.93). What's more, the genotypes distributions of rs10754558 were found to be associated with both the severe and late onset PE. (χ² = 8.53 p = .01, χ² = 9.24, p = .01.) However, no significant statistic differences were found in the genotypic distributions and allelic frequencies for rs2027432 between two groups (for genotypic distribution, χ² = 0.17, p = .92; for allelic frequency, χ² = 2.26, p = .13, odds ratio =0.90, 95% confidence interval 0.79-1.03).

Our results reveal that NLRP3 may be involved in the development of PE in a Chinese Han population. However, further validation of the associations of other NLRP3 SNPs with PE in other populations is required.