Increased Preeclampsia Risk in GDM Pregnancies: The Role of SIRT1 rs12778366 Polymorphism and Telomere Length

Preeclampsia (PE) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are common pregnancy disorders with shared pathophysiological mechanisms. This study examined the association between SIRT1 polymorphisms (rs12778366 and rs7895833) and relative telomere length (RTL) in women with PE and GDM. The DNA from pregnant women with GDM with and without PE was analyzed. The RTL and genotyping were measured using quantitative real-time PCR. The women with GDM and PE had significantly shorter telomeres. The rs12778366 TC genotype was associated with a 4.48-fold increased risk of PE (OR = 4.48; 95% CI 1.54-13.08; <i>p</i> = 0.003). The PE group had a higher prevalence of the heterozygous TC rs12778366 genotype with short telomeres. The SIRT1 variant rs12778366 is associated with shorter telomeres and an increased risk of developing preeclampsia, suggesting it may be a useful biomarker for preeclampsia risk assessment in GDM pregnancies.