A novel rodent model of pregnancy complications associated with genetically determined angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity.

A novel rodent model of pregnancy complications associated with genetically determined angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) activity. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2018 Jan 23;: Authors: Mata-Greenwood E, Blood AB, Sands LD, Bragg SL, Xiao D, Zhang L Abstract Brown Norway (BN) and Lewis (LW) inbred rat strains harbor different angiotensin converting enzyme (Ace) polymorphisms that result in higher ACE activity in BN than LW rats. Thus, we hypothesized that pregnant BN rats would show pregnancy complications linked to angiotensin II activity. We performed longitudinal and cross-sectional studies in pregnant LW and BN rats. We found that BN rats have significantly higher ACE activity and angiotensin II levels at pre-pregnancy and throughout pregnancy compared to LW rats, except at mid-gestation. BN placentas and maternal kidneys had significantly higher expression of angiotensin II receptor 1 and lower expression of angiotensin II receptor 2 than the respective LW placentas and maternal kidneys. Renin-angiotensin system activation in BN rats correlated with hypertension and proteinuria at gestational days 17-21 that were resolved after delivery. In addition, BN rat pregnancies were characterized by significant fetal loss, restricted growth in surviving fetuses, decreased uteroplacental blood flows, and decreased trophoblast remodeling of uterine arteries compared to LW pregnancies. Short-term losartan treatment significantly increased ...
Source: Am J Physiol Endocri... - Category: Endocrinology Authors: Tags: Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab Source Type: research