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.