The Genetic Polymorphism of Alpha 2-Heremans Schmidt Glycoprotein (AHSG), and Antibody to AHSG in Patients with Endometriosis

Kim, Hoon; Kim, Jung Gu

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship among alpha 2-Heremans Schmidt glycoprotein (AHSG) polymorphism, anti-AHSG antibody and endometriosis in Korean women.
METHODS
AHSG polymorphism was analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism and DNA sequencing in 79 women with endometriosis, and 105 women with normal pelviscopic finding. Anti-AHSG antibody was measured using enzyme linked immuosorbent assay.
RESULTS
The allele frequencies of AHSG 1 and AHSG 2 were 0.69 and 0.31 respectively. The proportion of noncarrier of AHSG 2 allele was significantly higher (p<0.05) in women with endometriosis than in women without endometriosis (55.7% versus 39.0%). Women not carrying AHSG 2 allele have 2 times higher risk of endometriosis than women carrying at least one this allele. Positive rate of anti-AHSG antibody was significantly higher in women with endometriosis (20.0%) than women without endometriosis (2.7%). There were no significant differences in the distribution of AHSG allele or AHSG genotypes and in positivity of anti-AHSG antibody between early stage endometriosis and late stage endometriosis. No significant difference in positivity of anti-AHSG antibody was noted among AHSG genotypes.
CONCLUSION
AHSG polymorphism and anti-AHSG antibody is associated with endometriosis, but the positivity of anti-AHSG antibody does not depend on AHSG genotypes.