ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the relationship between vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene pol-ymorphisms at Fok I site and the risk of preterm birth for potential intervention of of preterm birth or threatened premature delivery.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fifty-seven women with preterm birth and 84 with full-term birth were included in this analysis. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction frag-ment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was performed to identify VDR gene Fok I geno-types.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No significant difference was found in age, D-dimer (DDI), fibrinogen (Fg), serum calcium (Ca), leukocyte count or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level between the women in the preterm and full-term birth groups (P>0.05). The two groups differed signifi-cantly in the distribution of VDR gene Fok I site genotypes and allele frequency of F/F (P<0.05).The frequency of FF genotype was significantly higher in the preterm group than in the full-term group. Compared with Ff and ff genotypes, FF genotype was associated with an in-creased risk of preterm delivery (χ=9.701, P=9.701, OR=3.320, 95% CI [1.560, 7.066]). In the preterm group, the maternal age, DDI, Fg, serum Ca, leukocyte count or HbA1c did not differ significantly between the genotypes (P>0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>VDR gene Fok I site geno-types are related with preterm birth, and the FF genotype may serve as a potential risk factor for preterm birth.</p>
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha(HIF-1alpha) in endometriosis and explore the possible role of HIF-1alpha in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Immunohistochemistry was performed to examine the expression of HIF-1alpha in 20 normal endometrium, 20 ectopic endometrium and 68 eutopic endometrium specimens from 68 endometriosis patients, and the results were analyzed statistically.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of HIF-1alpha was significantly increased in ectopic endometrium than in normal endometrium (P<0.01), and the expression did not undergo changes with the normal menstrual cycle in the three types of endometrium.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>HIF-1alpha expression increases in ectopic endometrium, suggesting that HIF-1alpha plays an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.</p>