STOX2 but not STOX1 is differentially expressed in decidua from pre-eclamptic women: data from the Second Nord-Trøndelag Health Study

• Published in: Molecular human reproduction Vol. 16; no. 12; pp. 960 - 968
• Main Authors: Fenstad, M.H., Johnson, M.P., Løset, M., Mundal, S.B., Roten, L.T., Eide, I.P., Bjørge, L., Sande, R.K., Johansson, Å.K., Dyer, T.D., Forsmo, S., Blangero, J., Moses, E.K., Austgulen, R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 01.12.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Carrier Proteins - genetics; Carrier Proteins - metabolism; Carrier Proteins - physiology; Cohort Studies; Decidua - metabolism; decidua basalis; Female; Fetal Growth Retardation - genetics; Fetal Growth Retardation - metabolism; Gene Expression; Genotype; Humans; HUNT2; intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR); Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; pre-eclampsia; Pre-Eclampsia - genetics; Pre-Eclampsia - metabolism; Pregnancy; STOX genes
• ISSN: 1360-9947; 1460-2407; 1460-2407
• DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaq064

Variation in the Storkhead box-1 (STOX1) gene has previously been associated with pre-eclampsia. In this study, we assess candidate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in STOX1 in an independent population cohort of pre-eclamptic (n = 1.139) and non-pre-eclamptic (n = 2.269) women (the HUNT2 study). We also compare gene expression levels of STOX1 and its paralogue, Storkhead box-2 (STOX2) in decidual tissue from pregnancies complicated by pre-eclampsia and/or fetal growth restriction (FGR) (n = 40) to expression levels in decidual tissue from uncomplicated pregnancies (n = 59). We cannot confirm association of the candidate SNPs to pre-eclampsia (P > 0.05). For STOX1, no differential gene expression was observed in any of the case groups, whereas STOX2 showed significantly lower expression in deciduas from pregnancies complicated by both pre-eclampsia and FGR as compared with controls (P = 0.01). We further report a strong correlation between transcriptional alterations reported previously in choriocarcinoma cells over expressing STOX1A and alterations observed in decidual tissue of pre-eclamptic women with FGR.