Thesis (MSc (Genetics))—University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / In South Africa, pre-eclampsia is the second highest cause of maternal deaths. The incidence of this
disease in the Western Cape alone is 6.8% and places a large burden of health care facilities. The
placenta and implantation thereof is thought to play the most significant role in the onset of this
disease. Among the many theories for its aetiology, is the acknowledged two - stage theory. This is
based on evidence that pre-eclamptic placentas demonstrate altered remodelling and invasion into the
uterine endometrium and myometrium. The sub-optimal endometrium invasion leads to less
oxygenation of the placental environment causing transient hypoxia. Consequently, the placenta is
thought to release unknown factors into the maternal circulation which then culminates in clinical
features associated with pre-eclampsia. Neurokinin B is thought to be one of these placental factors
and subsequently binds to the NKB receptor in the maternal system. Endothelium-derived nitric
oxide synthase has recently been shown to activate this receptor.
The aim of this study was to investigate the role of neurokinin B (TAC3) and the neurokinin B
receptor (TACR3) genes in the predisposition of pre-eclampsia and their interaction with eNOS in the
South African coloured population together with a matched control cohort.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1748 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Stolk, Megan |
| Contributors | Hillermann-Rebello, R., Zaahl, M. G., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Agrisciences. Dept. of Genetics. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 2402549 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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