The Association of Vitamin D Receptor Variants With Spontaneous Preterm Labor

Mai Mahmoud Shaker, Nesma Mohamed Elaraby, Taghreed Abdelmoniem Shalabi

Abstract

Background and Aim: Certain immunologic and genetic variables are responsible for an increased risk of preterm labor (PTL). Vitamin D is a key regulator of the body’s immunologic response, and vitamin D receptor (VDR) mediates this function.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs2228570, rs731236, and rs1544410 in the expression of the VDR gene and their effect on the incidence/risk of spontaneous preterm labor (SPTL).

Materials and Methods: The enrolled participants were divided into 2 groups: 200 women who underwent SPTL formed the case group, and 200 women who delivered at full-term served as the control group. The genetic analysis of the 3 functional polymorphisms rs2228570 A > G, rs731236 T > C, and rs1544410 A > G within the VDR were analyzed using the TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay.

Results: The polymorphisms rs1544410 G > A and rs2228570 C > T differed significantly between the case and control groups with a P value < .05, OR (95% CI) of 0.41 (0.06–0.63) and 0.13 (0.09–0.27), respectively, while no significant difference was found with rs731236 T > C (P = .07; OR [95% CI] = 0.44 [0.17–1.12]). The vitamin D level was found to be insufficient in the control group compared with that in the case group (P = .001).

Conclusion: The VDR polymorphisms rs1544410 G > A and rs2228570 C > T are associated with SPTL. They could serve as useful biomarkers of SPTL.