Investigation of the effect of Vitamin D receptor gene variant on blood pressure increase and preeclampsy in pregnancy process

Introduction and Aim :Preeclampsia consists of causes of perinatal, fetal and maternal mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D receptor gene variant (rs731236) on blood pressure elevation and preeclampsia. Material and Methods: The study included 46 female patients diagnosed with preclampsia and 52 healthy female subjects with similar gestational age and gravity. Demographic characteristics, clinical findings, biochemical parameters, and DNA genotypes of each individual in the patient and control groups were analyzed. Genomic DNA of individuals was isolated from peripheral whole blood leukocytes for DNA genotype analysis. Genotype analysis of DNA samples for VDR rs731236 variant was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) based on Taqman chemistry. The genotype, allele frequencies, clinical findings, blood pressure and preeclampsia of the vitamin D variants were compared statistically. Results: When the patient group and control group were compared, they had similar age and body mass index (respectively P=0.39, P=0.183). When the groups were compared in terms of biochemical parameter values, no statistically significant difference was found (respectively Plt; P=0.593, Hb; P=0.468, Glukoz; P=0.892, ALT; Pp=0.593, AST; Pp=0.478, LDH; Pp=0.064). There were significant differences between proteinuria, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure values according to the nature of preeclampsia diagnosis (for all P=0.001). As a result of genotype analysis, it was analyzed that genotype distributions of healthy individuals and preeclampsia patients were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equation (respectively; P=0.11, P=0.55). There was a statistically significant difference between genotype and allele distribution between control and preeclampsia group(respectively; P=0.009, P=0.005). When the genetic model was established between the groups, a significant difference was observed only in the dominant model (P = 0.003). Conclusion:G allele frequency is higher in healthy individuals compared to preeclampsia group, indicating that allele may have protective properties. In addition, our findings indicate that VDR rs731236 variant is associated with low preeclampsia and blood pressure in the dominant model. Key Words: vitamin D receptor gene variant (rs731236), preeclampsia, increased blood pressure.