OXIDATIVE STRESS REPRODUCES PLACENTAL ABNORMALITIES OF PREECLAMPSIA

Abstract

Objective: The activities of placental superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), but not catalase, are lower than normal in preeclampsia, which could contribute to the uncontrolled placental production of lipid peroxides and thromboxane (TX). Oxidative stress, hyperlipidemia and increased iron levels in the maternal compartment in preeclampsia could be responsible for these placental changes by causing oxidative stress in the placenta. Methods: We tested this possibility in vitro by exposing a trophoblast-like cell line, ED27, to a combination of linoleic acid (LA, 90 μM) and an oxidizing solution composed of hypoxanthine, xanthine oxidase and ferrous sulfate (OxLA) for 6 days. For these studies, the cells were treated with dexamethasone (10−8 M) for the first 72 hr. This was done to differentiate the cells into a phenotype more like syncytiotrophoblast cells as evidenced by production of β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG). Results: After 6 days of exposure to OxLA, the activitie...