LOX-1 gene variants and maternal levels of plasma oxidized LDL and malondialdehyde in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between the maternal levels of oxidized LDL (ox-LDL), lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA) and LOX-1 3'UTR188C/T and K167N single nucleotide polymorphisms in pregnant Turkish women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods: 116 pregnant women with GDM and 120 healthy pregnant women from the same geographic region were included in the study. Polymerase chain reaction-based restriction analysis was used to identify 3'UTR188C/T and K167N polymorphisms of the LOX-1 gene. Plasma ox-LDL and MDA levels were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and spectrophotometric method in all study subjects, respectively.

Results: Our results indicated that the distribution of the LOX-1 3'UTR188C/T and K167N genotypes and alleles did not differ significantly among subjects with or without GDM (p > 0.05). TT and NN genotype carriers are associated with some glucose metabolism parameters (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences among plasma ox-LDL and MDA levels with regard to LOX-1 3'UTR188C/T and K167N polymorphisms in GDM group and control subjects (p > 0.05). According to the combined genotype analysis of LOX-1 3'UTR 188 TT and K167N NN polymorphisms, plasma MDA and ox-LDL levels were significantly different between women with GDM and healthy subjects either with or without combined TT/NN genotype carriers (p < 0.001).

Conclusions: According to our results, ox-LDL and MDA levels were increased in GDM pregnant women and healthy pregnant women either with or without combined TT/NN genotype carriers, for our Turkish sample, these genotype carriers appear to be related with increased oxidative stress in patients with GDM.