ABSTRACT
Background: Single nucleotide polymorphism [SNP] within tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha] gene promoter [-308G/A TNFA] is associated with higher gene expression. The role of this SNP as a risk factor for spontaneous preterm birth has been assessed in some regions and the findings were significantly different between race and ethnic groups
Aim: To provide the scientific evidence whether allele A within SNP -308G/A TNFA promoter is a risk factor for spontaneous preterm birth among Acehnese ethnic or not
Subjects and methods: In this case-control study, the genotypes of SNP -308G/A TNFA among 40 patients with spontaneous preterm birth and 40 patients with term birth were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]. The concentrations of TNF-alpha from blood were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay [ELISA]. The differences in genotype distributions, dominant and recessive models, and allele frequencies between case and control groups were analyzed with Chi-squared test. Deviation of genotype frequencies from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium [HWE] was assessed by Fisher's exact test
Results: This study found that the concentration of TNF-alpha between preterm and control groups was not statistically different, 5.5 +/- 2.9 mg/dL vs. 10.1 +/- 17.9 mg/dL, p = 0.112. The level of TNF-alpha had no strong association with either genotype distribution or allele frequency of SNP -308G/A TNFA. Furthermore, there was no association between mutant genotypes and spontaneous preterm birth [OR: 0.32; 95%CI: 0.08-1.33, p = 0.096] and between mutant allele and spontaneous preterm birth [OR: 0.35; 95%CI: 0.09-1.37, p = 0.105]
Conclusion: SNP -308G/A TNFA is not associated with spontaneous preterm birth in Acehnese ethnic group