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Maki S, Takakura S, Tsuji M, Magawa S, Tamaishi Y, Nii M, Kaneda M, Yoshida K, Toriyabe K, Kondo E, Ikeda T. Tadalafil for Treatment of Fetal Growth Restriction: A Review of Experimental and Clinical Studies. Biomedicines 2024; 12:804. [PMID: 38672159 PMCID: PMC11047858 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12040804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a major concern in perinatal care. Various medications have been proposed as potential treatments for this serious condition. Nonetheless, there is still no definitive treatment. We studied tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor, as a therapeutic agent for FGR in clinical studies and animal experiments. In this review, we summarize our preclinical and clinical data on the use of tadalafil for FGR. Our studies in mouse models indicated that tadalafil improved FGR and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. A phase II trial we conducted provided evidence supporting the efficacy of tadalafil in prolonging pregnancy (52.4 vs. 36.8 days; p = 0.03) and indicated a good safety profile for fetuses and neonates. Fetal, neonatal, and infant mortality was significantly lower in mothers receiving tadalafil treatment than that in controls (total number: 1 vs. 7, respectively; p = 0.03), and no severe adverse maternal events associated with tadalafil were observed. Although further studies are needed to establish the usefulness of tadalafil in FGR treatment, our research indicates that the use of tadalafil in FGR treatment may be a paradigm shift in perinatal care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shintaro Maki
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu 514-8507, Mie, Japan; (S.T.); (M.T.); (S.M.); (Y.T.); (M.N.); (M.K.); (K.Y.); (K.T.); (E.K.); (T.I.)
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Tang M, Xin Y, Zhao Y, Zhang X, Zhang M, Sun D, Zhu X, Yao Y, Fei W, Zheng C. Placenta-anchored tadalafil liposomes rescues intrauterine growth restriction through continuous placental blood perfusion improvement. J Control Release 2024; 368:466-480. [PMID: 38452820 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
Physiological or pathological hypoperfusion of the placenta is one of the main causes of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) which poses a significant risk to the health of the fetus and newborn. Tadalafil, a 5-type phosphodiesterase inhibitor, has previously been found to improve the symptoms of IUGR in various clinical studies. Unfortunately, its clinical utility is hindered by its limited water solubility, rapid metabolism, and lack of specific distribution in target tissues rendering tadalafil unable to maintain long-term placental perfusion. In this study, iRGD-modified tadalafil-loaded liposomes (iRGD-lipo@Tad) featuring a size of approximately 480 nm were designed to rectify the shortcomings of tadalafil. The prepared iRGD-lipo@Tad exhibited superior stability, sustained drug release capacity, and low cytotoxicity. The fluorescence study, tissue slice study, and drug biodistribution study together demonstrated the placenta-anchored ability of iRGD-modified liposomes. This was achieved by a dual approach consisting of the iRGD-mediated placenta-targeting effect and special particle size-mediated placenta resident effect. The pharmacokinetic study revealed a significant improvement in the in vivo process of tadalafil encapsulated by the iRGD-modified liposomes. In comparison to the tadalafil solution, the peak plasma concentration of iRGD-lipo@Tad was significantly increased, and the area under the curve was increased by about 7.88 times. In the pharmacodynamic study, iRGD-lipo@Tad achieved a continuous and efficient improvement of placental blood perfusion. This was achieved by decreasing the ratio of plasma soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase to placental growth factor and increasing the levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate and nitric oxide. Consequently, iRGD-lipo@Tad resulted in a significant increase in embryo weight and a reduction in the miscarriage rate of N-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester-induced IUGR pregnant mice without detectable toxicity. In summary, the nanotechnology-assisted therapy strategy presented here not only overcomes the limitations of tadalafil in the clinical treatment of IUGR but also offers new avenues to address the treatment of other placenta-originated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Tang
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou 310014, China
| | - Yu Xin
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China; Research Center for Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yunchun Zhao
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Meng Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Dongli Sun
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Xiaojun Zhu
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Yao Yao
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China
| | - Weidong Fei
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China.
| | - Caihong Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Women's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China; Research Center for Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
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Sun J, Zhang W. Huc-MSC-derived exosomal miR-144 alleviates inflammation in LPS-induced preeclampsia-like pregnant rats via the FosB/Flt-1 pathway. Heliyon 2024; 10:e24575. [PMID: 38304844 PMCID: PMC10830578 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Preeclampsia (PE) is a common and severe hypertensive disorder in pregnancy. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (Exos-MSC) have been reported to mitigate the progression of inflammatory diseases. The study aimed to explore the effects of human umbilical cord-derived Exos-MSC (huc-Exos-MSC) on PE-like models. Methods Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to construct in vitro and in vivo PE-like models. Exosomes were treated with LPS-induced PE-like cells and rats. Results PE-like inflammatory models of pregnant rats and cells were successfully constructed in vivo and in vitro. miR-144 was screened by bioinformatics analysis. Exosomes were successfully extracted. Silencing FosB, overexpressing miR-144 or treating with exosomes extracted from huc-MSC overexpressing miR-144 in (Exos-MSCmiR-144) reversed the LPS-induced decline in HTR-8/SVneo cell viability and migration. In addition, the above groups decreased LPS-induced increases in interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB (p-NF-κB)/NF-κB, soluble FMS-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), and Flt-1 levels. Simultaneously, transfection of miR-144 mimics and overexpressing FosB reversed those changes in the miR-144 mimics group. miR-144 might alleviate LPS-induced HTR-8/SVneo cell inflammation by targeting FosB. Injection of Exos-MSCmiR-144 in PE-like pregnant rats reversed LPS-induced increases in FosB expression, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), as well as mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, urine albumin/creatine ratio, inflammatory factors, p-NF-κB/NF-κB, and sFlt-1 levels. Furthermore, compared with the model group, the proportion of live births was significantly higher in the model + Exos-MSCmiR-144 group, while the apoptosis rate of fetal rat brain tissue was significantly lower. Conclusions We found that huc-Exos-MSC-derived miR-144 alleviated gestational hypertension and inflammation in PE-like pregnant rats by regulating the FosB/Flt-1 pathway. In addition, huc-Exos-MSC-derived miR-144 could partially reverse the LPS-induced adverse pregnancy outcome and brain injury in fetal rats, laying the foundation for developing new treatments for PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingchi Sun
- Department of Medical Administration, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, Chengdu, 610014, China
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
| | - Weishe Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, China
- Hunan Engineering Research Center of Early Life Development and Disease Prevention, Changsha, 410008, China
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Zeng S, Liu Z, Yin J, Li S, Jiang M, Yang H, Long Y. Improvement in Clinical Features of L-NAME-Induced Preeclampsia-like Rats through Reduced SERPINA5 Expression. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1792. [PMID: 38136662 PMCID: PMC10742323 DOI: 10.3390/biom13121792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a severe pregnancy disorder that poses a significant health risk to both mother and fetus, with no preventive or therapeutic measures. Our previous research suggested an association between elevated SERPINA5 levels and PE features. This study investigated whether SERPINA5 could be a potential therapeutic target for PE. We established PE-like features in pregnant rats using L-NAME (75 mg/kg/d) treatment. Adenoviruses carrying overexpressed or suppressed SERPINA5 genes were intravenously injected into these PE rats on the fifth and seventh days of pregnancy. We evaluated the rats' systolic blood pressure, urine protein concentration, and placental and fetal metrics and histology. Placental gene expression following SERPINA5 overexpression was evaluated using mRNA sequencing. The L-NAME-induced PE rat model observed a significant increase in placental and peripheral SERPINA5 levels. The overexpression of SERPINA5 exacerbated L-NAME-induced hypertension and proteinuria in pregnant rats. A histology examination revealed a smaller placental junctional zone in L-NAME + overexpressing rats. Placental gene expression analysis in the L-NAME + overexpressing group indicated increased coagulation activation. L-NAME-induced hypertension and proteinuria were mitigated when SERPINA5 expression was suppressed. Additionally, placental development was improved in the SERPINA5-suppressed group. Our findings suggested that SERPINA5 may worsen L-NAME-induced PE-like features by promoting the activation of the coagulation cascade. Therefore, reducing SERPINA5 expression could potentially serve as a therapeutic strategy for PE.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yan Long
- Department of Laboratory, Guangzhou Women and Children’s Medical Center, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 510623, China; (S.Z.); (Z.L.); (J.Y.); (S.L.); (M.J.); (H.Y.)
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Choi M, Hwang JR, Sung JH, Byun N, Seok YS, Cho GJ, Choi SJ, Kim JS, Oh SY, Roh CR. Hydroxychloroquine reduces hypertension and soluble fms-like kinase-1 in a Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced preeclampsia rat model. J Hypertens 2022; 40:2459-2468. [PMID: 36321404 DOI: 10.1097/hjh.0000000000003279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Hydroxychloroquine, a drug used for malaria and autoimmune diseases reportedly has beneficial effects against preeclampsia in pregnant women with lupus. However, its mechanism against preeclampsia remains unclear. We investigated the effect of hydroxychloroquine on an Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced preeclampsia rat model. METHODS Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups based on treatment (administered on gestational days 7-18): control, Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, hydroxychloroquine, and Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester plus hydroxychloroquine. All animals were sacrificed on gestational day 19. We assayed tube formation and determined reactive oxygen species levels using human umbilical vein endothelial cells. RESULTS Results showed that hydroxychloroquine significantly lowered mean systolic blood pressure (P < 0.05) in Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-treated rats. Hydroxychloroquine did not affect their fetal and placental weights. Hydroxychloroquine mitigated Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-associated changes in proteinuria (P < 0.05). It normalized plasma soluble fms-like kinase-1 (P < 0.05) and endothelin-1 (P < 0.01) levels. In the tube formation assay, hydroxychloroquine increased the total meshes area (P < 0.05) and mitigated Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester-induced reactive oxygen species formation (P < 0.05) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells. CONCLUSION We conclude that hydroxychloroquine alleviated hypertension, proteinuria, and normalized soluble fms-like kinase-1 and endothelin-1 levels in our preeclampsia model and that these changes may involve the restoration of endothelial dysfunction; thus, hydroxychloroquine could potentially be used for preventing preeclampsia, even in the absence of lupus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minji Choi
- Department of Health Sciences and Technology, SAIHST, Sungkyunkwan University
- Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
| | - Jae Ryoung Hwang
- Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center
| | - Ji-Hee Sung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
| | - Nagyeong Byun
- Samsung Biomedical Research Institute, Samsung Medical Center
| | - Ye Seon Seok
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine
| | - Geum Joon Cho
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Korea University College of Medicine
| | - Suk-Joo Choi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
| | - Jung-Sun Kim
- Department of Pathology and Translational Genomics, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo-Young Oh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
| | - Cheong-Rae Roh
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine
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Yang HY, Jiang L. The involvement of long noncoding RNA APOA1-AS in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Hum Exp Toxicol 2022; 41:9603271211066586. [PMID: 35130745 DOI: 10.1177/09603271211066586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in preeclampsia (PE), and apolipoprotein A-1 antisense RNA (APOA1-AS) and has been found to be associated with a number of diseases. Our study aims to understand the involvement of APOA1-AS in PE. METHODS Clinically, APOA1-AS expression in early-onset severe PE (EOSPE) patients and healthy controls was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In vitro experiments were divided into control [coculturing trophoblasts with human uterine microvascular endothelial cells (UtMVECs)], TNF-α [coculturing trophoblasts with UtMVECs treated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], and TNF-α + control siRNA/APOA1-AS siRNA groups (UtMVECs transfected with control siRNA/APOA1-AS siRNA were cocultured with trophoblasts in the presence of TNF-α). The animals were divided into normal group, PE group (PE model was established by administrating nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) in rats), PE + control siRNA group (PE rats were treated with control siRNA), and PE + APOA1-AS siRNA group (PE rats were treated with APOA1-AS siRNA). RESULTS Increased APOA1-AS was found in the placental tissues of EOSPE patients. APOA1-AS siRNA abolished the decreased integration of trophoblasts into UtMVEC networks induced by TNF-α. Furthermore, APOA1-AS siRNA improved pregnancy outcomes in PE rats with increased expression of vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor, and fms-like tyrosine kinase receptor (Flt-1) but decreased expression of E-cadherin, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). CONCLUSION Downregulation of APOA1-AS protected against TNF-α-induced inhibition of trophoblast integration into endothelial networks, thus exerting protective effects against PE rats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Yan Yang
- Department of Obstetrics, 519688Yantaishan Hospital, Yantai, China
| | - Ling Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics, 519688Yantaishan Hospital, Yantai, China
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Selivanova EK, Shvetsova AA, Borzykh AA, Gaynullina DK, Kiryukhina OO, Lukoshkova EV, Potekhina VM, Kuzmin VS, Tarasova OS. Intrauterine L-NAME Exposure Weakens the Development of Sympathetic Innervation and Induces the Remodeling of Arterial Vessels in Two-Week-Old Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222212327. [PMID: 34830206 PMCID: PMC8618620 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222212327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown to stimulate differentiation and increase the survival of ganglionic sympathetic neurons. The proportion of neuronal NOS-immunoreactive sympathetic preganglionic neurons is particularly high in newborn rats and decreases with maturation. However, the role of NO in the development of vascular sympathetic innervation has never been studied before. We tested the hypothesis that intrauterine NO deficiency weakened the development of vascular sympathetic innervation and thereby changed the contractility of peripheral arteries and blood pressure level in two-week-old offspring. Pregnant rats consumed NOS inhibitor L-NAME (250 mg/L in drinking water) from gestational day 10 until delivery. Pups in the L-NAME group had a reduced body weight and blood level of NO metabolites at 1–2 postnatal days. Saphenous arteries from two-week-old L-NAME offspring demonstrated a lower density of sympathetic innervation, a smaller inner diameter, reduced maximal active force and decreased α-actin/β-actin mRNA expression ratio compared to the controls. Importantly, pups in the L-NAME group exhibited decreased blood pressure levels before, but not after, ganglionic blockade with chlorisondamine. In conclusion, intrauterine L-NAME exposure is followed by the impaired development of the sympathetic nervous system in early postnatal life, which is accompanied by the structural and functional remodeling of arterial blood vessels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ekaterina K. Selivanova
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia; (E.K.S.); (A.A.S.); (D.K.G.); (V.M.P.); (V.S.K.)
| | - Anastasia A. Shvetsova
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia; (E.K.S.); (A.A.S.); (D.K.G.); (V.M.P.); (V.S.K.)
| | - Anna A. Borzykh
- Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, State Research Center of the Russian Federation, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Dina K. Gaynullina
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia; (E.K.S.); (A.A.S.); (D.K.G.); (V.M.P.); (V.S.K.)
| | - Oxana O. Kiryukhina
- Laboratory for the Study of Information Processes at the Cellular and Molecular Levels, Institute for Information Transmission Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119333 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Elena V. Lukoshkova
- Laboratory of Experimental Pathology of the Heart, National Medical Research Center of Cardiology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, 121552 Moscow, Russia;
| | - Viktoria M. Potekhina
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia; (E.K.S.); (A.A.S.); (D.K.G.); (V.M.P.); (V.S.K.)
| | - Vladislav S. Kuzmin
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia; (E.K.S.); (A.A.S.); (D.K.G.); (V.M.P.); (V.S.K.)
| | - Olga S. Tarasova
- Department of Human and Animal Physiology, Faculty of Biology, M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234 Moscow, Russia; (E.K.S.); (A.A.S.); (D.K.G.); (V.M.P.); (V.S.K.)
- Laboratory of Exercise Physiology, State Research Center of the Russian Federation, Institute for Biomedical Problems, Russian Academy of Sciences, 123007 Moscow, Russia;
- Correspondence:
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Palei AC, Granger JP, Spradley FT. Placental Ischemia Says "NO" to Proper NOS-Mediated Control of Vascular Tone and Blood Pressure in Preeclampsia. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222011261. [PMID: 34681920 PMCID: PMC8541176 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222011261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In this review, we first provide a brief overview of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms and biochemistry. This is followed by describing what is known about NOS-mediated blood pressure control during normal pregnancy. Circulating nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability has been assessed by measuring its metabolites, nitrite (NO2) and/or nitrate (NO3), and shown to rise throughout normal pregnancy in humans and rats and decline postpartum. In contrast, placental malperfusion/ischemia leads to systemic reductions in NO bioavailability leading to maternal endothelial and vascular dysfunction with subsequent development of hypertension in PE. We end this article by describing emergent risk factors for placental malperfusion and ischemic disease and discussing strategies to target the NOS system therapeutically to increase NO bioavailability in preeclamptic patients. Throughout this discussion, we highlight the critical importance that experimental animal studies have played in our current understanding of NOS biology in normal pregnancy and their use in finding novel ways to preserve this signaling pathway to prevent the development, treat symptoms, or reduce the severity of PE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Palei
- Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Joey P. Granger
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
| | - Frank T. Spradley
- Department of Surgery, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA;
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, MS 39216, USA
- Correspondence:
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Intrauterine Nitric Oxide Deficiency Weakens Differentiation of Vascular Smooth Muscle in Newborn Rats. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22158003. [PMID: 34360769 PMCID: PMC8347173 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22158003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) deficiency during pregnancy is a key reason for preeclampsia development. Besides its important vasomotor role, NO is shown to regulate the cell transcriptome. However, the role of NO in transcriptional regulation of developing smooth muscle has never been studied before. We hypothesized that in early ontogeny, NO is important for the regulation of arterial smooth muscle-specific genes expression. Pregnant rats consumed NO-synthase inhibitor L-NAME (500 mg/L in drinking water) from gestational day 10 till delivery, which led to an increase in blood pressure, a key manifestation of preeclampsia. L-NAME reduced blood concentrations of NO metabolites in dams and their newborn pups, as well as relaxations of pup aortic rings to acetylcholine. Using qPCR, we demonstrated reduced abundances of the smooth muscle-specific myosin heavy chain isoform, α-actin, SM22α, and L-type Ca2+-channel mRNAs in the aorta of newborn pups from the L-NAME group compared to control pups. To conclude, the intrauterine NO deficiency weakens gene expression specific for a contractile phenotype of arterial smooth muscle in newborn offspring.
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Cai L, Hu F, Fu W, Yu X, Zhong W, Liu F, Wang T, Sui D. Ginsenoside Rg2 Ameliorates Brain Injury After Intracerebral Hemorrhage in a Rat Model of Preeclampsia. Reprod Sci 2021; 28:3431-3439. [PMID: 34270001 DOI: 10.1007/s43032-021-00692-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The incidence of maternal hemorrhagic stroke is elevated in women with preeclampsia during pregnancy. Panax ginseng is a traditional medicinal herb with numerous applications, and ginsenosides are the key bioactive compounds in Panax ginseng. This study aims to evaluate the effects of ginsenoside Rg2 on pregnancy outcomes and brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in a rat model of preeclampsia. Preeclampsia was induced in rats by N(ω)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. Then, an ICH model was prepared by intrastriatal injection of bacterial collagenase. Ginsenoside Rg2 markedly elevated the survival ratio of fetuses. The placental and body weights were increased in the ginsenoside Rg2 group. Compared with the preeclampsia group, the Garcia test score of ginsenoside Rg2-treated rats was significantly increased. Ginsenoside Rg2 treatment ameliorated the ICH-induced augmentation of Evans blue extravasation, inhibited the ICH-induced elevation of brain water content, and reduced the interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α levels in the hemorrhagic hemisphere after ICH in preeclampsia model rats. Furthermore, ginsenoside Rg2 treatment not only inhibited augmentation of TLR-4, MyD88, p-IκBα, and p-NF-κB expression but also abated the reduction of occludin and claudin-5 expression in the hemorrhagic hemisphere. The findings indicated that ginsenoside Rg2 improved pregnancy outcomes in a rat model of preeclampsia without decreasing the blood pressure and urine protein level. The findings also demonstrated that ginsenoside Rg2 ameliorated ICH-induced neurological disorder and blood-brain barrier dysfunction in an animal model of preeclampsia by regulating the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liying Cai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Feifei Hu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenwen Fu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaofeng Yu
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China
| | - Weijie Zhong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Fangcong Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, 23 Youzheng Street, Nangang District, Harbin, Heilongjiang, 150001, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, Shandong, 264005, People's Republic of China.
| | - Dayuan Sui
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Jilin University, Changchun, 130021, People's Republic of China.
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