The VNTR polymorphism of the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene and blood pressure in women at the end of pregnancy

ObjectiveExamine the association of the 4a/4b polymorphism of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) with blood pressure in women at late pregnancy.Materials and methodsBlood pressure before pregnancy and at the end of gestation (37–40-week term) was measured in 588 women of the Russian ancestry. The women were divided into groups according to the body mass index and the presence of preeclampsia at late pregnancy. The 4a/4b polymorphism of the eNOS gene was genotyped using PCR with subsequent screening of amplified fragment length polymorphisms.ResultsThe 4a4a eNOS genotype was associated with higher levels of diastolic blood pressure in pregnant women and with more pronounced dynamics of the diastolic and mean arterial pressure in the development of pregnancy (p = 0.02–0.03). Pregnant women with the 4a4a genotype and increased body mass index had higher systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial pressure (p = 0.001–0.009). In pregnant women with preeclampsia, the 4a4a genotype was associated with higher level of diastolic blood pressure at the end of pregnancy (p = 0.04), whereas in the women without preeclampsia this genotype was associated with more pronounced changes of blood pressure at pregnancy (p = 0.02).ConclusionThe results of our study suggest that the genotype 4a4a of the eNOS gene is associated with higher levels of blood pressure in women at the end of pregnancy.     

Allele and eight-locus haplotype frequencies in population of Belgorod region,Russia

This paper reports the HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, -DPA1 and –DPB1 alleles and estimated haplotype frequencies in a population of 153 healthy potential blood marrow donors from Belgorod region, Russia. HLA genotyping was performed by next generation sequencing method (NGS). Statistical analysis were performed using Arlequin software packages. There was no deviation from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium detected at HLA-A, -B, -DRB1, -DQA1, -DQB1, and -DPA1 loci. Deviation was detected at the HLA-C and DPB1 locus probably due to an excess of C*12:03:01 and DPB1*04:01:01 homozygotes. These genotype data are available in the Allele Frequencies Net Database under the population name, “Russia, Belgorod Region” and the identifier: 3780.