SECRETION OF PROSTAGLANDINS AND ENDOTHELIN-1 BY DECIDUAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS FROM NORMAL AND PREECLAMPTIC PREGNANCIES - COMPARISON WITH HUMANUMBILICAL VEIN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS

OBJECTIVE: An increasing amount of circumstantial evidence points to t he maternal endothelial cell as centrally involved in the syndrome of preeclampsia. The purposes of this study were (1) to compare the secre tion of vasoactive substances by maternal decidual endothelial cells w ith that of umbilical vein endothelial cells, widely used as a surroga te for endothelial cells in general, and (2) to compare secretion of t he same vasoactive substances by decidual endothelial cells from norma l and preeclamptic pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: Endothelial cells were i solated from umbilical veins and from decidual biopsy specimens collec ted at cesarean section delivery from both normal and preeclamptic wom en. Cells were maintained in culture until passage 2, when secretion b y the three endothelial cell populations of the vasodilators prostagla ndin E(2) and prostacyclin and the vasoconstrictor endothelin-l was ex amined. In addition to control incubations, their responses to stimula tion and suppression of secretion were compared. RESULTS: In control i ncubations normal decidual endothelial cells secreted lower amounts of prostacyclin, prostaglandin E(2), and endothelin than did human umbil ical vein endothelial cells. All cell types had qualitatively similar responses to the stimuli used, but quantitatively different responses were noted between human umbilical vein endothelial cells and normal d ecidual endothelial cells for all metabolites examined. Preeclamptic d ecidual endothelial cells secreted significantly more prostaglandin E( 2) than did normal decidual endothelial cells in response to stimulati on. CONCLUSIONS: We have delineated levels of secretion of vasoactive substances by human late pregnancy decidual endothelial cells and thei r responses to manipulation of secretory pathways. There are differenc es between this endothelial cell population and human umbilical vein e ndothelial cells (which are widely used as a surrogate for maternal en dothelial cells). The differences between normal and preeclamptic deci dual endothelial cells in prostaglandin E(2) secretion may point to al tered regulation of arachidonic acid metabolic pathways in preeclampsi a.