Abstract:Objective: To explore if any difference exists in genotypic distribution and allele frequency of sFlt-1 gene rs4769613 loci polymorphism in patients with preeclampsia (PE) at relatively low and high altitudes in Yunnan Province. Methods: A total of 124 pregnant women of Han nationality who gave birth in the obstetrics department of Yunnan First People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2019 were selected as the low altitude group, including 61 PE pregnant women and 63 normal full-term pregnant women, and 122 pregnant women of Han nationality who gave birth in the obstetrics department of Diqing Tibetan Autonomous Prefectural People's Hospital during the same period, including 61 PE pregnant women and 61 normal full-term pregnant women were selected into the high altitude group. We investigated the genotypic distribution and allele frequency of sFlt-1 gene at rs4769613 locus by performing TaqMan probe real-time fluorescence PCR on them. Results: Firstly, we did find rs4769613 loci polymorphism of sFlt-1 gene in PE and control groups for both low and high altitude of Yunnan. Secondly, TT, CC and TC genotype in PE group at high altitude accounted for 18.03% (11/61), 29.51% (18/61) and 52.46% (32/61) respectively. Compared to control group at high altitude, TT, CC and TC genotype frequency accounted for 34.43% (21/61), 21.31% (13/61) and 44.26% (27/61). In the PE group at low altitude, TT, CC and TC genotype accounted for 13.11% (8/61), 27.87% (17/61) and 59.02% (36/61) respectively, and in the control group at low altitude, TT, CC and TC genotype accounted for 30.16% (19/63), 25.40% (16/63) and 44.44% (28/63). Thirdly, TT genotype distribution in the PE group were significantly lower than that in the control group (18.03% vs.34.43%, P=0.039, OR=0.419, 95%CI=0.181-0.970), but there were no significant differences in CC and CT genotype between the PE group and the control group at high altitude area. The TT genotype distribution in the low altitude PE group were significantly lower than that in the control group (13.11% vs.30.16%, P=0.021, OR=0.349, 95%CI=0.139-0.875), but there was no significant difference in CC and CT genotype between the low altitude PE group and the low altitude control group. There were no significant differences in the expression of TT, TC and CC genotype between PE group at high altitude and control group at low altitude. Conclusion: The SNP rs4769613 C>T of sFlt-1 gene may be related to the pathogenesis of PE in pregnant women, and the TT genotype of sFlt-1 gene may have protective effect on PE in pregnant women at Yunnan Plateau. There was no significant difference in the genotype distribution and allele frequency of The SNP rs4769613 of sFlt-1 gene between pregnant women with PE nor normal pregnant women in Yunnan Plateau.
