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). Endothelial morphologic condition was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy.

Results: Incubation with 17beta-estradiol significantly improved blood flow-mediated dilatation compared with initial blood flow-mediated response in arteries from women with preeclampsia. This effect was nitric oxide mediated, because the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor abolished the response. Arteries from women with preeclampsia demonstrated impaired bradykinin-mediated dilatation compared with that obtained in arteries from normal pregnant women. The 17beta-estradiol had no effect on bradykinin-mediated dilatation in arteries from women with preeclampsia. The enhanced pressure-induced tone at 80 mm Hg compared with the tone that developed at 60 mm Hg in arteries from women with preeclampsia was reduced after incubation with 17beta-estradiol. This reduction was also nitric oxide mediated. Morphologic signs of endothelial dysfunction were evident in arteries from women with preeclampsia.

Conclusion: The 17beta-estradiol improved impaired blood flow-mediated dilatation and reduced basal tone through a nitric oxide-mediated pathway in isolated myometrial arteries from women with preeclampsia.