A PROMOTER MUTATION THAT INCREASES TRANSCRIPTION OF THE TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA GENE IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH PRETERM DELIVERY

OBJECTIVE: Increased amniotic fluid concentrations of tumor necrosis f actor-alpha are observed in women with preterm labor and subsequent pr eterm birth. We tested whether a mutation in the promoter region of tu mor necrosis factor-alpha gene, TNF T2, which increases transcription of the gene, is more frequent in a preterm delivery cohort. STUDY DESI GN: Deoxyribonucleic acid was extracted from whole blood of 203 women and 44 fetuses delivered at <37 weeks of estimated gestational age. Th e polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the promoter region of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene. The resulting polymerase chain product was subjected to allele-specific enzymatic digestion with Nco I. Fragments were size fractionated on a 3% Metaphor agarose gel stain ed with ethidium bromide. Results were analyzed with use of a chi(2) c ontingency table. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences fo r either the TNF T1 or TNF T2 allele frequencies were found between wo men or fetuses delivered preterm compared with a control group or prev iously published allele frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of thi s tumor necrosis factor-alpha promoter mutation, TNF T2, is not increa sed in either women or fetuses delivered at <37 weeks' gestation. Basa l levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha are unlikely to affect a woman 's risk of preterm delivery. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha variants shou ld not be used as a predictive test for preterm delivery.