KDR gene polymorphisms and idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion

Association between cytokine polymorphisms and recurrent pregnancy loss: A review of current evidence

Cytokines are a type of protein that play an important role in the immune response and can also affect many physiological processes in the body. Cytokine polymorphisms refer to genetic variations or mutations that occur within the genes that code for cytokines, which may affect the level of cytokine production and function. Some cytokine polymorphisms have been associated with an increased risk of developing certain diseases, while others may be protective or have no significant effect on health. In recent years, the role of cytokine polymorphisms in the development of recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) has been studied. RPL or miscarriage is defined as the occurrence of two or more consecutive pregnancy losses before the 20th week of gestation. There are diverse causes leading to RPL, including genetic, anatomical, hormonal, and immunological factors. With regard to cytokine polymorphisms, a few of them have been found to be associated with an increased risk of RPL, for instance, variations in the genes that code for interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-10. The exact mechanisms by which cytokine polymorphisms affect the risk of recurrent miscarriage are still being studied, and further research is essential to fully understand this complex condition. This brief review aims to summarize the recent literature on the association between cytokine polymorphisms and RPL.

Behavior of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells on Titanium Surfaces Functionalized with VE-Cadherin Extracellular 1-4 Domains

BACKGROUND

Angiogenesis is essential for the optimal functioning of orthopedic medical implants. Protein functionalization of implant surfaces can improve tissue integration through proper vascularization and prevent implant failure in patients lacking sufficient angiogenesis.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the angiogenic activity of titanium surfaces functionalized with recombinant VE-cadherin extracelluar1-4 (VE-CADEC1-4) protein in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

METHODS

After titanium discs were coated with recombinant VE-CADEC1-4 protein at appropriate concentrations, the behavior of HUVECs on the VE-CADEC1-4-functionalized titanium discs were evaluated by cell adhesion assay, proliferation assay, and real-time RT-PCR.

RESULTS

Recombinant VE-CADEC1-4-functionalized titanium surfaces improved the adhesion of HUVECs by 1.8-fold at the optimal concentration, and the proliferative activity was 1.3-fold higher than the control at 14 days. In addition, when angiogenesis markers were confirmed by real-time RT-PCR, PECAM-1 increased approximately 1.2-fold, TEK approximately 1.4-fold, KDR approximately 1.6-fold, and Tie-1 approximately 2.1-fold compared to the control.

CONCLUSION

Recombinant VE-CADEC1-4-functionalized titanium surfaces improved cell adhesion, proliferation, and angiogenic differentiation of HUVECs, suggesting that the VE-CADEC1-4-functionalization of titanium surfaces can offer angiogenic surfaces with the potential to improve bone healing in orthopedic applications.

LncRNA HULC Polymorphism Is Associated With Recurrent Spontaneous Abortion Susceptibility in the Southern Chinese Population

Previous studies have revealed that genetic variation in genes that regulate cell migration might be associated with susceptibility to recurrent spontaneous abortion. HULC regulates the migration of a variety of cells, and genetic polymorphisms of HULC are associated with susceptibility to a variety of diseases, but their association with susceptibility to recurrent spontaneous abortion has not been reported. This study included 610 cases of recurrent spontaneous abortion and 817 normal controls, and the polymorphisms of the four SNPs were genotyped using the TaqMan method. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the associations between selected SNPs and susceptibility to recurrent spontaneous abortion. Our results showed that three SNPs were significantly associated with a reduced risk of recurrent spontaneous abortion: rs1041279 (GG vs. GC/CC: adjusted OR = 0.745, 95% CI = 0.559–0.993, P = 0.0445), rs7770772 (GC/CC vs. GG: adjusted OR = 0.757, 95% CI = 0.606–0.946, P = 0.0143), and rs17144343 (AA/GA vs GG adjusted OR = 0.526, 95% CI = 0.366–0.755, P = 0.0005). Individuals with one to four genotypes showed a reduced risk of recurrent spontaneous abortion (adjusted OR = 0.749, 95% CI = 0.598–0.939, P = 0.0123). This cumulative effect on protection increased with increases in the observed number of genotypes (adjusted OR = 0.727, 95% CI = 0.625–0.846, ptrend < 0.0001). Our study suggests that HULC might be a biomarker for risk for recurrent spontaneous abortion, but larger sample studies are needed to verify this result.

The association of Q472H variant in the KDR gene with recurrent pregnancy loss in Southern Iran: A case-control study

Background

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) often remains unclear and can be burden for the patient and time consuming for clinician. RSA may initiates from a genetic or non-genetic factors. It is well known that the quality of placental circulation is critical for implantation and embryo development. Because of angiogenic effects of VEGF–KDR pathway on placenta, the genes involved in this pathway (the KDR or VEGFR genes) are thought to be linked with RSA.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between Gln472His (A/T) polymorphism of the KDR gene with RSAs in southern Iran.

Materials and Methods

In this case-control study, 50 aborted embryonic tissue obtained from fetuses and 50 umbilical cord blood of newborn babies were studied. Fetal sample from mothers with history of at least two consecutive miscarriages and controls from mothers who had at least one full-term infants born were taken. Genomic DNA was extracted by using PureLink genomic DNA kit (Life Technologies, CA). The Rotor-Gene Q real-Time PCR machine and High-resolution melting curve analysis (HRM) technique were used for genotyping.

Results

Based on the AA genotype as reference, it is shown that the T allele (OR = 2.447, 95% CI = 1.095–5.468, p = 0.029) as well as AT heterozygote genotype was significantly associated with an increased risk of miscarriage (OR = 2.824, 95% CI = 1.210-6.673, p = 0.016).

Conclusion

A positive correlation between Q472H polymorphism of the KDR gene and RSA may be the cause in southern Iran.