Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system gene polymorphisms in gestational hypertension and preeclampsia: A case-control gene-association study

Abstract

Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH, including preeclampsia [PE] and gestational hypertension [GH]) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have some metabolic changes and risk factors in common. Many studies have reported associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) genes and CVDs (particularly hypertension), and their findings have provided candidate SNPs for research on genetic correlates of PIH. We explored the association between hypertension-related RAAS SNPs and PIH in a Chinese population. A total of 130 cases with PE, 67 cases with GH, and 316 controls were recruited. Six candidate SNPs of the RAAS system were selected. Multiple logistic regression analysis adjusting for maternal age, fetal sex, and gestational diabetes mellitus showed significant associations between angiotensinogen (AGT) rs3789678 T/C and GH (p = 0.0088) and between angiotensin II receptor type 1 (AGTR1) rs275645 G/A and PE (p = 0.0082). The study population was further stratified by maternal age (<30 and ≥30 years), and stratified and crossover analyses were conducted to determine genetic associations in different age groups. Our findings suggest that the impacts of different SNPs might be affected by maternal age; however, the effect of this potential gene-age interaction on PIH needs further exploration.