Preeclampsia proteins identified

, March 19 (UPI) -- A U.S.-led team of scientists has identified proteins released by the placenta that might damage blood vessels in women with preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy linked with life-threatening increases in high blood pressure after 20 weeks gestation. It has long been recognized that substances called "microparticles" released by the placenta in preeclampsia damage maternal blood vessels.

Yale University researchers, led by Seth Guller, sought to detect whether specific proteins were found in microparticles.

The team, including researchers from Berne, Switzerland, studied placentas obtained from patients with preeclampsia who had uncomplicated pregnancies delivered at term by Caesarean section.

"In this study, we demonstrate for the first time that microparticles released by the placenta may contain factors that damage maternal blood vessels in preeclampsia," said Guller, an associate professor.

Guller said his team only detected whether specific proteins were found in microparticles. "In the future, we will determine whether they are biologically active -- promote damage in vessel culture models -- and whether they are present in the blood of women with preeclampsia," said Guller.

The study was presented Saturday in Reno, Nev., during a meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation.