Interfering with Gal-1-mediated angiogenesis contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

ABSTRACT: Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific disorder characterized by sudden onset of hypertension and proteinuria in the second half of pregnancy (>20 wk). PE is strongly associated with abnormal placentation and an excessive maternal inflammatory response. Galectin-1 (Gal-1), a member of a family of carbohydrate-binding proteins, has been shown to modulate several processes associated with placentation and to promote maternal tolerance toward fetal antigens. Here, we show that Gal-1 exhibits proangiogenic functions during early stages of pregnancy, promoting decidual vascular expansion through VEGF receptor 2 signaling. Blocking Gal-1-mediated angiogenesis or lectin, galactoside-binding, soluble, 1 deficiency results in a spontaneous PE-like syndrome in mice, mainly by deregulating process

SUBMITTER: Freitag N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3710834 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature