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Evidence of a gene–environment interaction of NODAL variants and inflammation in preterm birth

Journal of Perinatology volume 38, pages 482–488 (2018)Cite this article

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A Correction to this article was published on 08 March 2022

This article has been updated

Abstract

Objective

NODAL has been implicated in timing of parturition and immune regulation. We investigated the relationship between NODAL polymorphisms, infection/inflammation, and preterm birth.

Study design

For this secondary analysis, 613 women (189 preterm and 424 term) from the Montreal Prematurity Study were genotyped for NODAL polymorphisms and assessed for bacterial vaginosis and placental inflammation.

Result

NODAL polymorphisms were not associated with preterm birth. However, the rs2231947(C>T) variant allele was associated with increased risk for preterm birth among women with bacterial vaginosis (odds ratio: 2.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.12−6.85). Among women without placental inflammation, the rs1904589(A>G) variant allele was associated with increased risk of preterm birth (odds ratio: 1.31, 95% confidence interval: 1.02−1.70). Among women with placental inflammation, the rs10999338(C>T) variant allele was associated with reduced risk of preterm birth (odds ratio: 0.50, 95% confidence interval: 0.29−0.87).

Conclusion

The effect of NODAL polymorphisms on preterm birth depends on maternal infection/inflammation status.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Michael Kramer, Mourad Dahhou, and the members of the Montreal Prematurity Study Group. We also thank the McGill University and Genome Quebec Innovation Centre (Montreal, Canada) for performing SNP discovery and Sanger sequencing. We thank all of the women for their generous participation in this study.

Funding

This study was funded by March of Dimes Grant No. 21-FY14-130. LMS was supported by a Toronto Dominion Bank Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Child Health Research Excellence. TH was supported by the Ministry of Higher Education of Saudi Arabia. Support for the Montreal Prematurity Study was provided by the Perinatal Epidemiological Research Iniviative Program Grant No 20-FY04-38 from the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, interpretation of data, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Lisa M Starr

  2. Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Taghreed A Ayash

  3. Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Division of Experimental Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada

    Daniel Dufort

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  1. Lisa M Starr
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Correspondence to Daniel Dufort.

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Starr, L.M., Ayash, T.A. & Dufort, D. Evidence of a gene–environment interaction of NODAL variants and inflammation in preterm birth. J Perinatol 38, 482–488 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0073-3

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