PHYS30001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 34: Pre-Eclampsia, Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase, Uterine Artery
Document Summary
Normal preg: 2-me levels increase; but decreased in pe. Serum sflt concentrations are increased in pregnant comt-/- mice. Treatment with 2-me caused levels to go down to normal preg levels. The level of an endothelial cell marker (von willebrand factor) was significantly diminished in uterine arteries of comt-/- mice, suggesting endothelial damage/reduced blood flow to placenta. But no data on trophoblast invasion or spiral arteries. Discovery of low levels of 2-me in the blood of pregnant women with pe at 22-29 weeks gestation. Also discovered low levels of enzyme comt in the placenta of pe women (obtained after delivery 22-29 weeks). Tested the hypothesis that low levels of comt result in pe in an animal model (comt-/- mouse). Found that sflt is increased in pregnant comt-/- mice (which could affect vegf and endothelial dysfunction). Have not conducted a blind study to show that women who have low levels of either.
