Allelic Characterization of IGF2 and H19 Gene Polymorphisms in Molar Tissues.

BACKGROUND: To investigate the characteristics of allelic distribution of IGF2 and H19 gene polymorphisms in molar tissues compared to normal placentas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-nine specimens of molar tissues as well as 100 control normal placental tissues, delivered on the same days, were collected. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) on 2% agarose gel electrophoresis was conducted to determine the allelic distribution. The ApaI polymorphism within exon 9 of IGF2 and the RsaI polymorphism within exon 5 of H19 were employed to identify the allelic distribution of the IGF2 and H19 genes, respectively. Then the data for these genes in the molar and normal placenta tissues were compared.

RESULTS: The allelic distribution of IGF2 genes found in molar tissue were 21 (42.9%) aa (undigested), 10 (20.4%) ab (heterozygous) and 18 (36.7%) bb (digested), while in normal placenta tissue the values were 22 (22%) aa, 51 (51%) ab, and 27 (27%) bb. The allelic distribution of H19 in molar tissues was 8 (16.2%) aa (undigested), 8 (16.3%) ab (heterozygous) and 33 (67.4%) bb (digested) and in normal placental tissue was 16 (16%) aa, 36 (36%) ab and 48 (48%) bb in normal placenta tissue. These results were significantly different with P values of 0.001 and 0.037 for the allelic distribution of IGF2 and H19, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS: Molar tissues showed significant differences of allelic distribution of IGF2 and H19 from normal placenta tissues.