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Regional Differences in Placental and Myoendometrial Vascularization and Placental and Fetal Development in Hypertensive‐Pregnancy
Author(s) -
DiasJunior Carlos Alan,
Ren Zongli,
Zhu Minglin,
Li Jun,
Khalil Raouf A.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.30.1_supplement.1212.6
Subject(s) - placenta , preeclampsia , pregnancy , uterus , medicine , fetus , placentation , perfusion , endocrinology , blood pressure , litter , biology , genetics , agronomy
Preeclampsia (PE) is a form of hypertensive‐pregnancy (HTN‐Preg) with unclear mechanism. General reduction of uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) could be an initiating event leading to uteroplacental ischemia, abnormal angiogenic/anti‐angiogenic responses and HTN‐Preg. Additional regional differences in placental blood flow could further affect the pregnancy outcome and may be a factor in the increased risk of PE in twin or multiple pregnancy. To test the hypothesis that regional differences in uterine perfusion could affect uteroplacental vascularization and placental and fetal development, we compared the number and size of pups and placentae, and the number of placental and adjacent myoendometrial arteries in the proximal (prox‐U), middle (mid‐U) and distal (distal‐U) portions of the uterus (in relation to distance from the ovarian arteries) in normal pregnant (NP) and RUPP rats. Maternal blood pressure was higher (127±2 vs. 105±4mmHg), and uterine weight (3.2±0.1 vs. 4.6±0.2g), number of placentae (9.5±0.7 vs. 12.6±0.5), placenta weight (401±5 vs. 456±4mg), litter size (9.5±0.7 vs. 12.6±0.5), and pup weight (1.18±0.05 vs. 1.59±0.04g) were less in RUPP than NP group. Further examination of the RUPP uterus showed a decrease in the number and weight of placentae and pups in distal‐U (0.4±0.3, 210±120mg; 0.4±0.3, 1.16±0.51g) vs. prox‐U (1±0, 400±175mg; 1±0, 1.67±0.49g) and mid‐U (0.6±0.5, 337±184mg; 0.6±0.5, 1.58±0.46g). The number and diameter of placental arteries were smaller in distal‐U (2.6±0.5, 70±8μm) vs. prox‐U (5.0±0.4, 105±4μm) and mid‐U (5.0±0.5, 95±7μm) of RUPP rats. Also, the number of the adjacent myoendometrial arteries was less in distal‐U (1.3±0.04) vs. prox‐U (3.5±0.06) and mid‐U (2.5±0.04) of RUPP rats. No significant differences were observed in placentae and pups number and weight or number of placental and myoendometrial arteries in different uterine regions of NP group. Thus, in addition to the general reduction in placental and fetal development observed during uteroplacental ischemia, there is a greater decrease in placental and myoendometrial vascularization associated with greater placental and fetal growth restriction in distal‐U, suggesting regional differences in blood flow, placental perfusion and angiogenic responses in HTN‐Preg that could be a factor in the incidence of PE in multiple pregnancy. Support or Funding Information This work was supported by grants from National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL‐65998,HL‐111775).