The relationship between ACP1 and neonatal sex ratio in smoker pregnant women: An analysis at population level [Analisi a livello popolazionistico della relazione ACP1-rapporto sessi nelle madri fumatrici]

Previous study suggested that differences observed among human population concerning the effect of smoking may depend in part on genetic factors. In this work we have analysed the relationship between sex ratio and ACP1*C allele at population level. The analysis includes 719 consecutive births from Central Italy, 5510 consecutive births from Sardinia and data from English and Japanese populations. Among newborns not carrying ACP1*C there is a decrease of sex ratio among the offspring of smoking mothers, while among newborns carrying the ACP1*C allele there is an increase of sex ratio among the offspring of smoking mothers relative to non-smoking mothers. There is a linear positive relationship between *C allele frequency and sex ratio in smoking mothers. The present observation suggests an interaction between smoking and ACP1 regarding their effects on sex ratio. The presence of the ACP1*C allele appears to counteract the effect of smoking.