There is evidence that tissue blood flow is regulated by retrograde transmission of signals initiated at capillary and post-capillary sites, and transmitted via the endothelium to modulate pre-capillary resistance. We have used pre-eclampsia as a model to test the hypothesis that normal endothelium is required to enable adjustment of blood flow to match tissue requirements. Integrity of the endothelial pathway was assessed by measuring calf blood flow at increasing venous pressures, using an established small cumulative-step venous-congestion plethysmography protocol in ten women with pre-eclampsia, 17 normal pregnant controls and ten non-pregnant women. Endothelial cell activation was assessed by measuring plasma levels of the cell adhesion molecules, intercellular cell-adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell-adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin. Baseline calf blood flow was significantly lower in pre-eclampsia than in the other two groups (P<0.0001; ANOVA). In the pre-eclampsia group, there was a fall in blood flow as venous congestion pressure was raised (P<0.0001; ANOVA). No such change was observed in the other two groups. A significant inverse correlation was observed between the reduction in blood flow in pre-eclampsia and the levels of E-selectin (r=-0.92, P=0.0002), VCAM-1 (r=-0.93, P=0.0008) and ICAM-1 (r=-0.86, P=0.001). The differences between the pre-eclamptic women and the other two groups support the notion that the failure to sustain blood flow during a cumulative pressure step protocol in the pre-eclamptic group might be influenced by interference with the retrograde transmission of signals via the endothelium in these patients.
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January 2004
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Research Article|
January 01 2004
Impaired retrograde transmission of vasodilatory signals via the endothelium in pre-eclampsia: a cause of reduced tissue blood flow?
N. ANIM-NYAME;
*Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr Nick Anim-Nyame (e-mail [email protected]).
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S. R. SOORANNA;
S. R. SOORANNA
*Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, U.K.
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M. R. JOHNSON;
M. R. JOHNSON
*Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, U.K.
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M. H. SULLIVAN;
M. H. SULLIVAN
†Institute of Reproductive and Developmental Biology, Hammersmith Hospital, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, U.K.
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J. GAMBLE;
J. GAMBLE
‡School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, U.K.
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P. J. STEER
P. J. STEER
*Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9NH, U.K.
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Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 29 2003
Revision Received:
June 19 2003
Accepted:
July 30 2003
Accepted Manuscript online:
July 30 2003
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2004 The Biochemical Society
2004
Clin Sci (Lond) (2004) 106 (1): 19–25.
Article history
Received:
January 29 2003
Revision Received:
June 19 2003
Accepted:
July 30 2003
Accepted Manuscript online:
July 30 2003
Citation
N. ANIM-NYAME, S. R. SOORANNA, M. R. JOHNSON, M. H. SULLIVAN, J. GAMBLE, P. J. STEER; Impaired retrograde transmission of vasodilatory signals via the endothelium in pre-eclampsia: a cause of reduced tissue blood flow?. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 January 2004; 106 (1): 19–25. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20030045
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