Vascular endothelial growth factor induced functional and morphologic signs of endothelial dysfunction in isolated arteries from normal pregnant women.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of vascular endothelial growth factor on basal tone, endothelium-dependent dilatation, permeability, and morphologic features of endothelium in isolated arteries from normal pregnant women. We hypothesized that vascular endothelial growth factor might induce signs of endothelial dysfunction.

Study Design: Arteries (approximately 200 microm) were dissected from subcutaneous fat biopsy specimens that were obtained at cesarean delivery and mounted on a pressure arteriograph.

Isolated microparticles, but not whole plasma, from women with preeclampsia impair endothelium-dependent relaxation in isolated myometrial arteries from healthy pregnant women.

Objective: This study was performed to establish whether microparticles from plasma of women with preeclampsia cause endothelial dysfunction, as described for isolated myometrial arteries in preeclampsia.

Study Design: Myometrial arteries were isolated from biopsy specimens obtained at cesarean delivery from healthy pregnant women (n = 22) and mounted in a wire myograph. Bradykinin concentration-response curves were obtained before and after 1-hour incubation or after overnight incubation with one of the following preparations of plasma from individual women with preeclampsia (n = 16): Whole plasma, microparticle-free plasma, isolated microparticles resuspended in physiologic saline solution or physiologic saline solution.

Endothelial dysfunction in uterine circulation in preeclampsia: can estrogens improve it?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether a 3-hour incubation with 17beta-estradiol will enhance blood flow- and bradykinin-mediated dilatation and alter pressure-induced basal tone in myometrial resistance arteries from women with preeclampsia and to evaluate the role of nitric oxide in the responses that were observed.

Study Design: Blood flow- and bradykinin-mediated dilatation and responses to intraluminal pressure of 60 and 80 mm Hg were compared before and after 3 hours of incubation with 17beta-estradiol (10(-8) mol/L) in isolated myometrial arteries with the pressure myography technique. In separate experiments, the role of nitric oxide on 17beta-estradiol-induced responses was evaluated in the presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor (10(-4) mol/L).