Vascular dysfunction is a hallmark of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Offspring from preeclamptic pregnancies are at risk of CVD later in life. Whether fetal vasculature from preeclamptic pregnancies displays signs of vascular dysfunction (i.e., oxidative/nitrosative stress, endothelial activation) associated with increased expression of lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) and angiotensin-II type-1 receptor (AT1) is unknown. We demonstrated increased superoxide, nitrotyrosine and ICAM-1 levels in umbilical vein tissues of preeclamptic vs. normal pregnancies; without changes in LOX-1 and AT1 levels. Our findings suggest that the fetal vasculature may be impacted in preeclampsia, which could contribute to an increased risk of offspring CVD.
Keywords: AT(1); ICAM-1; LOX-1; Oxidative stress; Preeclampsia; Umbilical vein.
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