Reproductive tissue renin gene expression in preeclampsia

Objective: Using an analogy with renin gene Overexpression, low-renin hyper tension animal models, we wished to test the hypothesis that renin gene exp ression is increased in decidua basalis in human gestation with preeclampsi a. Methods: Human placentas were obtained immediately after delivery from 11 c ontrol (C) and 11 preeclamptics (PE). Tissue samples were microdissected an d renin gene expression in decidua basalis (DB), chorionic villi (CV), and decidua vera (DV) was measured using dot-blot hybridization. Results: Overall renin gene expression is highest in decidua basalis (mean +/- SEM, 2.66 +/- 0.69 densitometry area units) compared to chorionic villi (mean +/- SEM, 1.85 +/- 0.5) or compared to decidua vera (mean +/- SEM, 1. 63 +/- 0.9) (both t-tests p = 0.001 two-tailed and analysis of variance p = 0.0001). Renin gene expression in DB and In CV was similar in both preecla mptic and normal pregnancies (DB mean +/- SEM C 2.79 +/- 0.96 versus PE 2.5 4 +/- 1.04, and CV mean +/- SEM C 2.11 +/- 0.91 versus PE, 1.59 +/- 0.44). Renin gene expression in DV was approximately threefold higher in tissues F rom preeclamptics compared to control (mean +/- SEM PE 2.44 +/- 1.76 versus C 0.82 +/- 0.42). Using the median value of 0.5 units for DV as cutoff, th e preeclamptics displayed higher renin gene expression (chi square p = 0.03 3, two tailed). Conclusion: Our data suggest that renin gene expression is increased in pre eclampsia in decidua vera. This may explain previously reported increased r enin secretion in uterine circulation in preeclampsia.