ACTIVATION OF ENDOTHELIAL-CELLS BY PLASMA FROM WOMEN WITH PREECLAMPSIA - DIFFERENTIAL-EFFECTS ON 4 ENDOTHELIAL-CELL TYPES

OBJECTIVE: To compare the ability of plasma from a population of women with preeclampsia and a population of plasma from women with normal p regnancies to activate four different endothelial cell types. METHODS: The secretion of nitrite and 6-keto prostaglandin F-1 alpha by four e ndothelial cell types (isolated from the microvasculature of human dec idua and skin, as well as a human umbilical vein endothelial cell line and a bovine coronary microvascular cell line) was assessed following a 24-hour incubation with plasma samples from the two groups. RESULTS : Nitrite production (an indicator of nitric oxide release) was detect able in only the decidual endothelial cell and the bovine microvascula r endothelial cells (B-88), whereas 6-keto prostaglandin F-1 alpha (st able metabolite of prostacyclin) was detectable in all cells. Only in the B-88 cells was there a greater production of nitrite or 6-keto pro staglandin F-1 alpha in response to incubation with plasma from the pr eeclamptic patients when compared to plasma from the normotensive cont rols. CONCLUSION: The different responses of various endothelial cell types to the activating effects of plasma from preeclamptic women indi cate that another important caveat to be considered when bioassaying f or the circulating factor(s) of preeclampsia is the choice of endothel ial cell to be studied. Copyright (C) 1998 by the Society for Gynecolo gic Investigation.