OBJECTIVETo investigate the distributions of genotypic and allelic frequencies of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) gene K469E and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (PECAM-1) gene C373G in patients with preeclampsia.

METHODSPolymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism(PCR-RFLP) and DNA sequencing were used for detecting ICAM-1 gene K469E and PECAM-1 gene C373G genotypes in 110 women with preeclampsia and 110 normotensive pregnant women in comparison with their clinical characteristics.

ESULTSThe distributions of observed and expected genotype frequencies were consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. No significant differences were found in the genotype and allele frequencies of ICAM-1 gene K469E between the two groups (P>0.05), but the CC and the CG genotype frequencies of PECAM-1 gene C373G were significantly different between them (P<0.05). The relative risk for preeclampsia of CG genotype was 1.959 folds of that in CC genotype carriers (OR=1.959, 95%CI: 1.090-3.520, P=0.024), and this association still existed after adjustment for age, gravidity, parity and BMI in logistic regression models. The C373G allele frequencies showed no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe CG genotype of PECAM-1 gene C373G genetically predispose the carriers to preeclampsia, while ICAM-1gene K469E polymorphisms is not associated with preeclampsia.