The intervention effect of aspirin on a lipopolysaccharide-induced preeclampsia-like mouse model by inhibiting the nuclear factor-κB pathway

Biol Reprod. 2018 Aug 1;99(2):422-432. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioy025.

Abstract

Preeclampsia is a severe pregnancy-related disorder, and patients usually present with high circulating inflammatory factor levels and excessive activation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. Administration of aspirin (ASP) is effective for preventing preeclampsia, and thus, we propose that ASP might affect placental function by regulating the NF-κB pathway. Systemic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (20 μg/kg) was used to induce preeclampsia-like pregnant mouse model, and low-dose ASP (15.2 mg/kg) was administrated. Here, we report significantly increased circulatory expression levels of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, and soluble Fms-related tyrosine kinase-1 in LPS-treated pregnant mice, accompanied by kidney and placental dysfunction. Low-dose ASP treatment significantly reversed the preeclampsia-like phenotype, lowering hypertension, decreasing proteinuria, and ameliorating fetal growth retardation. Moreover, the excessive activation of NF-κB signaling in mice placentae induced by LPS was significantly reduced by ASP. In JEG-3 cells, LPS activated the NF-κB signaling pathway by upregulating the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and related inflammatory factors, whereas the invasion ability of JEG-3 cells was weakened. However, ASP administration impeded NF-κB signaling activation, downregulated COX-2 and inflammatory factor expression, and rescued trophoblast invasion. This study provides new evidence that low-dose ASP is beneficial for preeclampsia prevention by inhibiting NF-κB and its downstream signaling pathways in trophoblast cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Aspirin / pharmacology*
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Female
  • Interleukin-6 / blood
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Mice
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Placenta / drug effects*
  • Placenta / metabolism
  • Pre-Eclampsia / chemically induced
  • Pre-Eclampsia / drug therapy*
  • Pre-Eclampsia / metabolism
  • Pregnancy
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / blood

Substances

  • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors
  • Interleukin-6
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Flt1 protein, mouse
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Aspirin