Estrogen synthesis genes CYP19A1, HSD3B1, and HSD3B2 in hypertensive disorders of pregnancy

Hypertension in pregnancy is a multifactorial disorder caused by a complex combination of environmental factors and several predisposing genes. Since estrogen modulates placental vascular development, estrogen synthases are considered plausible candidate genes. The aim of this haplotype-based case–control study was to estimate whether polymorphisms of the maternal estrogen synthesis genes (CYP19A1, HSD3B1 and HSD3B2) are associated with preeclampsia (PE) and gestational hypertension (GH). To examine the genetic markers in 69 PE and 62 GH patients and in 155 age-matched, primiparous, healthy control subjects, genotyping of 5 SNPs for the CYP19A1 gene (rs1870049, rs936306, rs700518, rs700519, and rs4646), 3 SNPs for the HSD3B1 gene (rs3765945, rs6203, and rs1047303), and 2 SNPs for the HSD3B2 gene (rs2854964 and rs1819698) was performed. For rs700158 of CYP19A1, the frequencies of the AG+GG genotype and the G allele were significantly higher in PE as compared to controls (P = 0.037, P = 0.033, respectively). Logistic regression analyses indicated that the AG+GG genotype of rs700158 was a PE risk factor (odds ratio = 2.15, P = 0.026). In addition, the frequency of the G–G haplotype established by rs700518–rs4646 was also significantly higher for PE (P = 0.017). These data suggest that the estrogen synthesis gene, CYP19A1 is associated with PE in the Japanese population.