Background: Surfactant protein (SP) C has been shown to be expressed also outside pulmonary alveoli. Certain SP-C gene (SFTPC) polymorphisms associate with lung diseases and very preterm birth.
Aims: We investigated the association of SFTPC single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs4715 with factors affecting spontaneous preterm birth and characterized the SP-C expression in human and mouse gestational tissues.
Methods: The SFTPC SNP rs4715 polymorphism was genotyped in a homogeneous northern European population of mothers and infants in spontaneous preterm birth and term controls. The expression and protein of SP-C in gestational tissues was analyzed.
Results: SFTPC SNP rs4715 did not associate with spontaneous preterm birth. However, fetuses with short interval (<72 hours) between preterm premature rupture of fetal membranes (PPROM) and preterm birth had significant over-representation of the minor allele A, whereas in fetuses with prolonged PPROM (>or=72 hours) the frequency was decreased. Maternal SFTPC did not associate with the duration of PPROM. SP-C mRNA and proprotein were detected in fetal membranes, placenta, and pregnant uterus.
Conclusion: SFTPC SNP rs4715 associates with the duration of PPROM, and SP-C is expressed in gestational tissues. We propose that fetal SFTPC moderates the inflammatory activation within the fetal extra-embryonic compartment.