Preeclampsia and Na,K-ATPase activity of red blood cell ghosts front neonatal and maternal blood

We determined Na,K-ATPase activity and cholesterol/phospholipid ratio of ma ternal and cord red blood cell ghosts from either normotensive or preeclamp tic pregnant women. The Na,K-ATPase activity of the red cell ghosts from ne onatal blood is significantly lower (25-32%) as compared with the ATPase ac tivity of the maternal red cell ghosts, regardless of the presence or not o f preeclampsia. This diminution in Na,K-ATPase activity of the neonatal red blood cell ghosts could be due to an increase in the cholesterol/phospholi pid molar ratio of the membrane. The Na,K-ATPase activity of the red blood cell ghosts from pregnant women was unaffected by preeclampsia; however, fe tal red blood cell ghosts from infants of preeclamptic mothers showed a sig nificantly lower ATPase activity (20%) than fetal red blood cell ghosts fro m infants of normotensive mothers. A low Na,K-ATPase activity in the neonat al red blood cells from mothers with preeclampsia could be an indication of an important modification of the physiological role of this enzyme. Copyri ght (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.