SECRETION OF PROSTAGLANDINS AND ENDOTHELIN-1 BY DECIDUAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS FROM NORMAL AND PREECLAMPTIC PREGNANCIES - COMPARISON WITH HUMANUMBILICAL VEIN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS
Edm. Gallery et al., SECRETION OF PROSTAGLANDINS AND ENDOTHELIN-1 BY DECIDUAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS FROM NORMAL AND PREECLAMPTIC PREGNANCIES - COMPARISON WITH HUMANUMBILICAL VEIN ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS, American journal of obstetrics and gynecology, 173(5), 1995, pp. 1557-1562
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.