Abstract
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is a common pregnancy-associated complication of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) which is an endocrine malfunction disease. Patients with PCOS may have several underlying contributing and interrelated factors, which have been reported in women with RSA. The incidence rate between PCOS and RSA remains uncertain. The aim of this study is to determine the possible association of IL-1 beta-511C/T, IL-6-174G/C, TNF-alpha-1031T/C, and TGF beta 1-509T/C with RSA patients with or without PCOS. A total of 140 RSA patients, 70 of which were PCOS patients, and 140 healthy females with no history of RSA or PCOS were included in this study. PCR amplification, genotyping, and sequence analysis were employed to investigate the presence of the polymorphisms. The genotypic and allelic frequencies were calculated separately for each subject. Out of the four studied polymorphisms, the IL-1 beta-511C/T genotype in RSA without PCOS patients (12.7%) was significantly different compared with that in control subjects (p=0.047). For IL-6-174C/G, there was a tendency towards more CC carriers among RSA with PCOS patients (10%) than in controls (3%). The GG genotype in RSA women with PCOS (60%) was significantly different compared with that in control subjects (p=0.033), and the GC genotype in RSA with PCOS patients (30%) showed a marginal significant difference compared with that in control subjects (p=0.050). Significant difference was identified in the allelic frequencies in RSA patients with PCOS compared to controls (p=0.025). IL-6-174G/C and TNF-alpha-1031T/C polymorphisms are significantly associated with RSA patients in Saudi patients with PCOS, while the IL-1 beta-511C/T polymorphism is significantly associated with RSA patients without PCOS.