Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 2, 2025
Modeling Encephalopathy of Prematurity Using Prenatal Hypoxia-ischemia with Intra-amniotic Lipopolysaccharide in Rats
Published on: November 20, 2015
Fetal High-Risk APOL1 Genotype Increases Risk for Small for Gestational Age in Term Infants Affected by Preeclampsia
Timur Azhibekov1, Razaq Durodoye2, Anna K Miller3
1Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
Insights
High-risk apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene variants are linked to preeclampsia and fetal growth issues in Black women. This suggests APOL1 impacts pregnancy complications through placental insufficiency.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Genetics
- Perinatal Medicine
Background:
- Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, including preeclampsia, significantly increase risks for fetal growth restriction and maternal complications, particularly in women of African ancestry.
- Recent research has identified a potential association between preeclampsia risk and specific polymorphisms in the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene among women of African ancestry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene variations on pregnancy outcomes in both preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic pregnancies.
- To determine if APOL1 genotype influences fetal growth and the risk of preeclampsia in different gestational contexts (term vs. preterm).
Main Methods:
- An unmatched case-control study was conducted involving 1,358 mother-infant pairs.
- Participants were drawn from two independent cohorts comprising Black women.
Main Results:
- Among term pregnancies, high-risk APOL1 genotypes were significantly associated with infants being small for gestational age (OR 2.8 compared to low-risk cases, OR 5.5 compared to high-risk controls).
- In preterm pregnancies, the fetal APOL1 genotype showed a notable association with the occurrence of preeclampsia.
Conclusions:
- Fetal APOL1 genotype is implicated in preeclampsia risk for preterm infants and altered fetal growth in term infants.
- These findings suggest that APOL1 genotype may contribute to a range of pregnancy complications, potentially through a shared mechanism of placental insufficiency.
Background:
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy cause fetal growth restriction and increased maternal morbidity and mortality, especially in women of African ancestry. Recently, preeclampsia risk was associated with polymorphisms in the apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1) gene in women of African ancestry.
Objectives:
We assessed APOL1 genotype effects on pregnancies with and without preeclampsia.
Method:
We conducted an unmatched case-control study of 1,358 mother-infant pairs from two independent cohorts of black women.
Results:
Term preeclampsia cases with high-risk APOL1 genotypes were more likely to be small for gestational age compared to APOL1 low-risk term cases (odds ratio [OR] 2.8) and APOL1 high-risk controls (OR 5.5). Among preterm pregnancies, fetal APOL1 genotype was associated with preeclampsia.
Conclusions:
Fetal APOL1 genotype was associated with preeclampsia in preterm infants and with altered fetal growth in term infants. This may indicate APOL1 genotype impacts a spectrum of pregnancy complications mediated by a common pathophysiological event of placental insufficiency.
Related Concept Videos
01:07Teratogenicity
01:20Pathophysiology of Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of pancreatic β cells, with environmental factors potentially triggering this process in genetically susceptible individuals. Despite many not having a family history, certain genes increase susceptibility,...
02:41Lethal Alleles
Lucien Cuénot discovered lethal alleles in 1905 while studying the inheritance of coat color in mice. The agouti gene is responsible for the color of the coat in mice. This gene codes for an agouti-signaling protein, which is responsible for melanin distribution in mammals. The wild-type allele gives rise to gray-brown coat color in mice, while the mutant allele gives rise to yellow coat color. In addition to coat color, the agouti gene is associated with the yellow...