Pre-eclampsia results in oedema, hypertension and proteinuria, and is associated with increased vascular permeability. A number of studies have pointed to the existence of a circulating macromolecule that induces this endothelial dysfunction. To test whether this circulating factor could increase vascular permeability, we have measured the effect of dialysed human plasma from pregnant women with mild or severe pre-eclampsia (pre-eclamptic toxaemia). Plasma was collected from patients with mild or severe pre-eclampsia and from normotensive women. Plasma was dialysed against frog Ringer's solution using a 12–14 kDa molecular-mass cut-off dialysis tubing. πc (colloid osmotic pressure) was measured with a modified Hansen oncometer. Lp (hydraulic conductivity) and σ (oncotic reflection coefficient) were measured in individually perfused frog mesenteric microvessels using the Landis–Michel technique during perfusion with dialysed plasma. Perfusion of vessels with normal plasma or plasma from patients with mild pre-eclampsia did not alter either Lp or σ. However, plasma from patients with severe pre-eclampsia resulted in a 3.8±0.3-fold increase in Lp and a reduction in σ from 0.96±0.03 to 0.80±0.11. There was a significant correlation between the change in σ and the change in Lp, suggesting that the increase in permeability was due to an increase in pore size in these vessels. A circulating macromolecule in human plasma in severe pre-eclampsia is therefore able to increase vascular permeability in an animal model. The nature of the circulating macromolecule is not known, except that it is, or is bound to, a molecule greater than 12 kDa.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
October 2004
-
Cover Image
Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Research Article|
September 24 2004
Plasma from women with severe pre-eclampsia increases microvascular permeability in an animal model in vivo
Christopher R. NEAL;
Christopher R. NEAL
*Microvascular Research Laboratories, Department of Physiology, Preclinical Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8EJ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Alyson J. HUNTER;
Alyson J. HUNTER
†Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Bristol, St Michael's Hospital, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Steven J. HARPER;
Steven J. HARPER
*Microvascular Research Laboratories, Department of Physiology, Preclinical Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8EJ, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
Peter W. SOOTHILL;
Peter W. SOOTHILL
†Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Bristol, St Michael's Hospital, Bristol BS8 1TD, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
David O. BATES
*Microvascular Research Laboratories, Department of Physiology, Preclinical Veterinary School, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8EJ, U.K.
Correspondence: Dr David O. Bates (email Dave.Bates@bris.ac.uk).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
January 19 2004
Revision Received:
May 25 2004
Accepted:
June 09 2004
Accepted Manuscript online:
June 09 2004
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
The Biochemical Society
2004
Clin Sci (Lond) (2004) 107 (4): 399–405.
Article history
Received:
January 19 2004
Revision Received:
May 25 2004
Accepted:
June 09 2004
Accepted Manuscript online:
June 09 2004
Citation
Christopher R. NEAL, Alyson J. HUNTER, Steven J. HARPER, Peter W. SOOTHILL, David O. BATES; Plasma from women with severe pre-eclampsia increases microvascular permeability in an animal model in vivo. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 October 2004; 107 (4): 399–405. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20040018
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Captcha Validation Error. Please try again.