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PETBioNewsNewsGene clue to pre-eclampsia

BioNews

Gene clue to pre-eclampsia

Published 9 June 2009 posted in News and appears in BioNews 303

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BioNews

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.

Dutch researchers have identified a faulty gene that causes pre-eclampsia in some families affected by the disease. Scientists at the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam say the identification of the gene, dubbed STOX1, could lead to new tests for the condition. Women at risk could then be given preventative...

Dutch researchers have identified a faulty gene that causes pre-eclampsia in some families affected by the disease. Scientists at the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam say the identification of the gene, dubbed STOX1, could lead to new tests for the condition. Women at risk could then be given preventative treatment during pregnancy, say the team, who published their results in the journal Nature Genetics.


Pre-eclampsia usually arises during the second half of pregnancy. It can cause high blood pressure, liver problems, blood abnormalities, slow fetal growth and, if untreated, can lead to life-threatening seizures in the mother. Because the only way to 'treat' pre-eclampsia is to deliver the baby, the condition is a major reason for premature births and their associated health problems. The causes of pre-eclampsia are unknown, although some scientists think that it could be triggered by the mother's immune system attacking the fetal cells that form the placenta. The condition runs in families, suggesting that genes are involved, but other factors are also thought to play a role.


In the latest study, the Dutch team, working with colleagues based at Adelaide University in Australia, studied families in which two or more sisters had experienced pre-eclampsia during a pregnancy. They found that particular variants of STOX1 were more common in women affected by the condition, and that affected sisters shared the same faulty versions. The gene is known to be 'switched on' in the placenta during the early stages of development, which could explain its involvement in pre-eclampsia.


Interestingly, one woman in the study had a faulty STOX1 gene but did not develop the condition. Lead researcher Cees Oudejans said this could be because she received blood-thinning medication during early pregnancy. 'One of the things we should look at is whether early treatment with these kinds of medicines helps', he said. Michael Rich, chief executive of the UK charity Action on Pre-eclampsia said: 'What is clear is that a full family history should be taken at a pregnant woman's first "booking" appointment and that a woman should be made aware of the genetic link that exists in pre-eclampsia'.

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Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
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A study has linked mutations in three genes with the severe pregnancy condition, pre-eclampsia. The international research team say they're the first to link genetic mutations and pre-eclampsia in women with the autoimmune disorder lupus...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
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11 October 2012 • 1 minute read

New gene linked to pre-eclampsia discovered

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A gene important in autoimmune disease has been linked to pre-eclampsia, a serious complication of pregnancy. The study from scientists at North Carolina State University looked at the genes that are switched on and off in the human placenta, to find genes that are differently expressed in pre-eclampsia...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
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9 June 2009 • 2 minutes read

Both parents can pass on risk of pre-eclampsia

by BioNews

Men and women born following a pregnancy affected by pre-eclampsia can both pass an increased risk of the condition on to the next generation, a Norwegian study has found. Scientists at the University of Bergen used data from the country's birth registry to show that daughters of women affected by...

Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the output from a DNA sequencing machine.
CC BY 4.0
Image by Peter Artymiuk via the Wellcome Collection. Depicts the shadow of a DNA double helix, on a background that shows the fluorescent banding of the sequencing output from an automated DNA sequencing machine.
News
9 June 2009 • 2 minutes read

Genetic clues to pre-eclampsia

by BioNews

Certain combinations of maternal and fetal genes might increase the risk of pre-eclampsia, the most common serious complication of pregnancy, UK scientists say.The researchers, based at Cambridge University, think some genetic variations that affect the mother's immune system could influence the supply of nutrients to the developing fetus. The...

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