Aging, serum estradiol levels, and pregnancy differentially affect vascular reactivity of the rat uterine artery

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether placenta and plasma of preeclamptic women w omen contain factors that cause endothelial cell damage. METHODS: Placental extracts and plasma from preeclamptic and normotensive w omen were added cultures of normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells a nd their effect and their viability, was determined by MTT reduction and (5 1)chromium release. RESULTS: Placental extracts from normotensive and preeclamptic women were c ytotoxic to endothelial cells, but riot the plasma from bath groups. Mean /- standard deviation values of cytotoxicity index in preeclamptic and norm otensive placental extract ts using the MTT reduction were 70.3 +/- 6.76% a nd 51.4 +/- 8.81%, respectively, showing a significant difference (P < .000 1). Using the (51)chromium-release assay, preeclamptic placental extracts s howed cytotoxic effects of 87.6 +/- 13.47% compared with 17 +/- 20.60% in c ontrol patients. The cytotoxic activity decreased after trypsin digestion a nd heat treatment in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: A cytotoxic factor to endothelial cells in placental extracts of preeclamptic women was identified. This compounds is thermolabile and se nsitive to trypsin digestion. Copyright (C) 2000 by the Society for Gynecol ogic Investigation.