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Published on: July 30, 2016
A Case-Control Study of the APELA Gene and Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
Naomi Shimada1, Tomohiro Nakayama2,3, Hiroshi Umemura2
1Division of Legal Medicine, Department of Social Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1 Ooyaguchi-kamicho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 173-8610, Japan.
Insights
Genetic variations in the APELA gene may increase the risk of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs). A specific haplotype (T-A rs4541465-rs67448487) was more frequent in women with HDPs.
Area of Science:
- Genetics
- Obstetrics
- Cardiovascular Medicine
Background:
- Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) are complex genetic conditions.
- APELA gene mutations in mice cause HDP-like symptoms, suggesting a role in placental development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between HDPs and genetic variations in the human APELA gene.
- To analyze single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) and haplotypes within the APELA gene in relation to HDPs.
Main Methods:
- A case-control study was conducted with 196 HDP patients and 254 controls.
- Six SNVs in the APELA gene were genotyped.
- Haplotype analysis was performed for identified SNVs.
Main Results:
- No significant association was found for individual SNVs in the APELA gene.
- A significant increase in the T-A haplotype (rs4541465-rs67448487) was observed in the HDP group, particularly in cases of gestational hypertension.
Conclusions:
- The APELA gene may contribute to susceptibility to HDPs.
- The T-A haplotype rs4541465-rs67448487 is a potential genetic marker for HDP risk.
Abstract:
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs) are believed to comprise a group of multifactorial genetic diseases. Recently, it was reported that APELA-knockout mice exhibited HDP-like symptoms, including proteinuria and elevated blood pressure due to defective placental angiogenesis. The aim of the present study is to determine the associations between HDPs and single-nucleotide variants or haplotypes in the human APELA gene through a case-control study. The subjects were 196 pregnant women with HDPs and a control group of 254 women without HDPs. Six single-nucleotide variants (rs2068792, rs13120303, rs4541465, rs13152225, rs78639146, and rs67448487) were selected from the APELA gene region. Although there were no significant differences for each single-nucleotide polymorphism in the case-control study, the frequency of the T-A haplotypes rs4541465-rs67448487 was significantly higher in the HDP group, especially in those with gestational hypertension, than in the control group. The results suggest that the APELA gene may be a disease-susceptibility gene for HDP.
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