A Swiss family with hemoglobin P Galveston beta117His leads to Arg, including two patients with hb P/beta thalassemia

The mutant Hb P Galveston (beta117His leads to Arg) is observed in two heterozygotes for beta thalassemia and by itself does not cause clinical symptoms. Some of the physico-chemical properties of Hb P Galveston are identical to the onemical properties of Hb P Galveston are identical to the ones hemoglobin Zurich (beta 63 His leads to Arg) so that only a detailed analysis led to its proper identification.

The effect of foetal removal on the blood pressure in steroid hypertensive rats

In unilaterally nephrectomized hypertensive rats receiving DOCA, cortisone and saline the blood pressure falls after the removal of the foetuses as though the animals continued to be pregnant with the foetuses in situ. On the other hand, when the foetuses are removed from steroid hypertensive animals in which the maternal kidneys remain intact the blood pressure remains at hypertensive levels. The metrial gland part of the placenta appears histologically viable after foetal removal.

We conclude from the present and earlier experiments that the usual hypotensive effect of pregnancy in hypertensive animals is due to a vasodepressor agent produced by the foetuses and the metrial gland moiety of the placenta and that the activity of this agent is subject to maternal renal function.

A relation between these experiments and human pregnancy hypertension is not clear but we suggest that in human pregnancy, hypertension could be due either to failure of the foetoplacental vasodepressor or vasodilator agent or to destruction or excretion of this agent by the maternal kidney.

The duration of the fall of blood pressure following the induction of deciduomata and the administration of progesterone in steroid hypertensive rats

Experimental deciduomata produce a protracted fall of blood pressure in steroid hypertensive rats. The fall begins at between 9 and 13 days of pseudopregnancy, lasts for between 8 and 14 days and is then followed by a restoration to higher levels between 17 and 24 days. The metrial gland of the deciduomata is thought to be responsible for the fall.

Parenteral progesterone has two main effects. It enhances the degree of the fall of blood pressure and also prolongs the survival of deciduomata to beyond 22 days of pseudopregnancy. Progesterone does not alter the time of onset nor the duration of the hypotensive episode and the return of the blood pressure to higher levels takes place even though the metrial gland of the deciduomata is still viable and progesterone still being administered.

It is considered that the duration of the hypotensive episode is determined either by a changed function of the metrial gland cells with duration or to an entirely different but unknown mechanism.

The present findings suggest that the hypotensive effect of pregnancy in hypertensive rats is a related phenomenon and is due in part to the function of metrial gland cells of the pregnancy decidua under the influence of progesterone.