Foxp3 (−/ATT) Polymorphism Contributes to the Susceptibility of Preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the potential influence of Foxp3 polymorphism on preeclampsia (PE) susceptibility, we conducted a case-control study in Han Chinese women. METHODS Foxp3 genotyping was determined by polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP) in 156 PE patients and 252 age-frequency matched controls. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of Foxp3 specific transcription factor in 30 PE and 30 normal pregnant women. RESULTS The positive rate of Foxp3 expression in PE (26.67%) was significant difference from that in normal control (63.33%, P<0.05). The frequency of Foxp3-6054 TT genotype was significantly lower in PE patient than that in control. No significant difference was found in Foxp3-3279 genotypes between PE and control, as well as for the variant allele. The frequency of Foxp3-6054A/-3279C haplotype in PE was significantly higher than that in control (P<0.01), while the frequency of Foxp3 6054T/-3279C haplotype was significantly lower in PE patient than that in control (P<0.01). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that the immune suppression function in PE patients is weakened, which may result in the occurrence of PE. Foxp3 polymorphism (rs5902434) may be a potential contributor for the development of PE in Han Chinese women.