Effect of pregnancy and pre-eclampsia on smooth muscle and endothelial cell function in arteries isolated from women [ 2000 - 2002 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Helena Parkington (Principal investigator)

Brief description During normal pregnancy the blood vessels of the mother become relaxed. This helps to meet the growing demands of the mother at this time and also ensures sufficient blood supply to the developing fetus. Blood vessels are lined by a single cell layer called the endothelium. The endothelium inactivates a variety of circulating agents which cause arteries to contract, and it also produces potent substances that directly relax the muscle cells in the blood vessel wall. Thus the endothelium plays an important role in the adaptation of the maternal blood vessels to pregnancy. Insufficient blood supply to the placenta somehow triggers myriad processes including endothelial dysfunction, enhanced clotting of the blood and contraction of the maternal blood vessels, which culminates in the serious disorder of pregnancy known as pre-eclampsia. This condition threatens the health of both mother and fetus, and in Australia, is responsible for 15% of direct maternal deaths and 10% of perinatal mortality. The focus of this project is to study the function of the endothelium and the muscle in the artery wall, and how the function of these entities is altered in the natural adaptation to pregnancy and in pre-eclampsia. The general aim of this study is two fold: (1) to determine how endothelial function adapts to pregnancy and how this is compromised in pre-eclampsia (2) to determine how factors released from the endothelium alone, or in combination with changes in inherent muscle function, alter the state of relaxation and contraction of muscle in the blood vessel wall, and the influence of pregnancy and of pre-eclampsia on these. This project will contribute to a greater understanding of the mechanisms that control the relaxation and contraction of blood vessels in normal pregnancy and those mechanisms that are impaired during pre-eclampsia and thus, may facilitate the development of treatments for this serious disorder.

Funding Amount $AUD 194,537.23

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant