Dysregulation of hydrogen sulfide producing enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase contributes to maternal hypertension and placental abnormalities in preeclampsia - PubMed (original) (raw)

. 2013 Jun 25;127(25):2514-22.

doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.113.001631. Epub 2013 May 23.

Shakil Ahmad, Meng Cai, Jillian Rennie, Takeshi Fujisawa, Fatima Crispi, James Baily, Mark R Miller, Melissa Cudmore, Patrick W F Hadoke, Rui Wang, Eduard Gratacós, Irina A Buhimschi, Catalin S Buhimschi, Asif Ahmed

Affiliations

Dysregulation of hydrogen sulfide producing enzyme cystathionine γ-lyase contributes to maternal hypertension and placental abnormalities in preeclampsia

Keqing Wang et al. Circulation. 2013.

Abstract

Background: The exact etiology of preeclampsia is unknown, but there is growing evidence of an imbalance in angiogenic growth factors and abnormal placentation. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a gaseous messenger produced mainly by cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), is a proangiogenic vasodilator. We hypothesized that a reduction in CSE activity may alter the angiogenic balance in pregnancy and induce abnormal placentation and maternal hypertension.

Methods and results: Plasma levels of H2S were significantly decreased in women with preeclampsia (P<0.01), which was associated with reduced placental CSE expression as determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Inhibition of CSE activity by DL-propargylglycine reduced placental growth factorproduction from first-trimester (8-12 weeks gestation) human placental explants and inhibited trophoblast invasion in vitro. Knockdown of CSE in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by small-interfering RNA increased the release of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 and soluble endoglin, as assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, whereas adenoviral-mediated CSE overexpression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells inhibited their release. Administration of DL-propargylglycine to pregnant mice induced hypertension and liver damage, promoted abnormal labyrinth vascularization in the placenta, and decreased fetal growth. Finally, a slow-releasing H2S-generating compound, GYY4137, inhibited circulating soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 and soluble endoglin levels and restored fetal growth in mice that was compromised by DL-propargylglycine treatment, demonstrating that the effect of CSE inhibitor was attributable to inhibition of H2S production.

Conclusions: These results imply that endogenous H2S is required for healthy placental vasculature and that a decrease in CSE/H2S activity may contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Keywords: angiogenesis; fetal development; fms-like tyrosine kinase-1; hydrogen sulfide; placental growth factor; preeclampsia; vascular endothelial growth factor.

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