Lack of Thromboxane Synthase Prevents Hypertension and Fetal Growth Restriction after High Salt Treatment during Pregnancy

PLoS One. 2016 Mar 14;11(3):e0151617. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151617. eCollection 2016.

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is a potentially fatal pregnancy-related hypertensive disorder characterized by poor placenta development that can cause fetal growth restriction. PE-associated pathologies, including thrombosis, hypertension, and impaired placental development, may result from imbalances between thromboxane A2 (TXA2) and prostacyclin. Low-dose aspirin, which selectively inhibits TXA2 production, is used to prevent high-risk PE. However, the role of TXA2 in aspirin-mediated protective effects in women with PE is not understood fully. In this study, we examined the role of prostanoids in PE using human samples and an induced PE mouse model. We demonstrated that the administration of salted drinking water (2.7% NaCl) to wild-type mice resulted in elevated placental TXA2 synthase (TXAS) and plasma TXA2, but not prostacyclin, levels, which was also found in our clinical PE placenta samples. The high salt-treated wild-type pregnant mice had shown unchanged maternal body weight, hypertension (MAP increase 15 mmHg), and decreased pup weight (~50%) and size (~24%), but these adverse effects were ameliorated in TXAS knockout (KO) mice. Moreover, increased expression of interleukin-1β and downstream phosphorylated-p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase were concordant with apoptosis induction in the placentas of salt water-treated wild-type mice. These alterations were not observed in TXAS KO mice. Together, our data suggest that TXA2 depletion has anti-PE effects due to the prevention of hypertension and placental damage through downregulation of the interleukin-1β pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Cell Count
  • Chlorides / blood
  • Female
  • Fetal Growth Retardation / enzymology
  • Fetal Growth Retardation / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / blood
  • Hypertension / complications
  • Hypertension / enzymology
  • Hypertension / prevention & control*
  • Interleukin-1beta / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Perfusion
  • Phenotype
  • Placenta / metabolism
  • Pre-Eclampsia / blood
  • Pre-Eclampsia / enzymology
  • Pregnancy
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Sodium / blood
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary / adverse effects*
  • Thromboxane-A Synthase / metabolism*
  • Up-Regulation

Substances

  • Chlorides
  • Interleukin-1beta
  • Sodium Chloride, Dietary
  • Sodium
  • Thromboxane-A Synthase

Grants and funding

This work was supported by grants from the National Science Council of Taiwan, www.most.gov.tw/ (Grant No. No. NSC 100-2632-M-033-001-MY3, NSC 101-2632-M-033-001-MY2, NSC 102-2632-M-033-001-MY3 andNSC 102-2320-B-033 -003, MOST 104-2319-B-002-001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.