Preeclampsia-like symptoms induced in mice by fetoplacental expression of STOX1 are reversed by aspirin treatment

Hypertension. 2013 Mar;61(3):662-8. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.111.202994. Epub 2013 Jan 28.

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common human-specific pregnancy disorder defined by hypertension and proteinuria during gestation and responsible for maternal and fetal morbimortality. STOX1, encoding a transcription factor, was the first gene associated with PE as identified by positional cloning approaches. Its overexpression in choriocarcinoma cells mimics the transcriptional consequences of PE in the human placenta. Here, we created transgenic mouse strains overexpressing human STOX1. Wild-type female mice crossed with transgenic male mice reproduce accurately the symptoms of severe PE: gestational hypertension, proteinuria, and elevated plasma levels of soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 and soluble endoglin. Placental and kidney histology were altered. Symptoms were prevented or alleviated by aspirin treatment. STOX1-overexpressing mice constitute a unique model for studying PE, allow testing therapeutic approaches, and assessing the long-term effects of the preeclamptic syndrome.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / therapeutic use*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Aspirin / therapeutic use*
  • Carrier Proteins / adverse effects
  • Carrier Proteins / biosynthesis*
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endoglin
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / blood
  • Kidney / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Placenta / metabolism*
  • Placenta / pathology
  • Pre-Eclampsia / drug therapy*
  • Pre-Eclampsia / etiology
  • Pre-Eclampsia / genetics
  • Pregnancy
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 / blood

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Endoglin
  • Eng protein, mouse
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • STOX1 protein, human
  • Flt1 protein, mouse
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1
  • Aspirin