Association Between the ERVW-1 Gene Polymorphism (rs4727276) and the Pathogenesis of Preeclampsia: A Case-Control Study in Women From Northeast Brazil

Background Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder and a major cause of maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Genetic susceptibility plays an important role in its pathogenesis, and molecular biomarkers involved in placental development, such as variants of the ERVW-1 gene, have gained increasing attention. Methods This study investigated the association between the ERVW-1 rs747276 polymorphism and PE in pregnant women from northern Ceará, Brazil. Clinical and genetic data were obtained from peripheral blood samples of women receiving prenatal care at the Ana Maternity Hospital of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de Sobral. The study included 64 women with PE and 76 normotensive pregnant controls. Genotyping was performed using RT-qPCR, and genotype and allele distributions were compared between groups. Results The CC, CG, and GG genotypes were identified and analyzed under dominant, recessive, and codominant inheritance models. A significant difference in genotype distribution was observed between the PE and control groups (p < 0.05). No association was found between the polymorphism and disease severity or time of onset. The findings suggest a possible association between the ERVW-1 rs747276 variant and susceptibility to PE. Conclusions The ERVW-1 rs747276 polymorphism may represent a potential molecular biomarker for PE; however, further studies are required to confirm its clinical applicability.