Melanocortin-4 Receptor Deficiency Attenuates Placental Ischemia-Induced Hypertension in Pregnant Rats.

ABSTRACT: Preeclampsia is a pregnancy-specific disorder of new-onset hypertension linked to placental ischemia. While obesity is a major risk factor for preeclampsia, not all obese pregnant women develop pregnancy-induced hypertension or preeclampsia. Previously, we reported that placental ischemia-induced hypertension is dependent upon intact signaling of the sympathetic nervous system. Moreover, in various models of obesity, blockade of MC4R (melanocortin-4 receptor) signaling protects against the development of hypertension via suppression of the sympathetic nervous system. Less is known about this pathway during obese pregnancy. Although blockade of MC4R may lead to increased body weight during pregnancy, we tested the hypothesis that placental ischemia-induced hypertension is attenuated in obes

SUBMITTER: Spradley FT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6309903 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature