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Abnormal cGMP-dependent protein kinase I-mediated decidualization in preeclampsia

Hypertension Research volume 44, pages 318–324 (2021)Cite this article

Abstract

Defective decidual function contributes to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. However, the precise mechanism of defective decidua during preeclampsia has not been characterized. During decidualization, endometrial stromal cells undergo phenotypic changes that are consistent with mesenchymal-epithelial transition (MET). cGMP-dependent kinase protein I (PKGI)/VASP signaling is important in cell motility proliferation, differentiation and cell adhesion. To investigate this aim, we analyzed PKGI levels, phosphorylated VASP protein levels, and eNOS and sGC protein expression levels during pregnancy complicated by preeclampsia, which indicated that PKGI/VASP signaling function is decreased by the condition. Moreover, we evaluated the differential expression of genes that regulate MET in the decidua resulting from preeclampsia and healthy pregnancies. We discovered that vimentin mRNA levels are decreased in the decidua of preeclampsia, which indicates that excessive MET occurs in the decidua of preeclampsia pregnancies. A fundamental developmental MET program occurred in response to signaling pathways. These results suggest the important role of decreased PKGI/VASP signaling during excessive MET in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program of China (No. 2017YFC1001402 and 2018YFC10029002), the National Natural Science Foundation (No. 81830045, 81671533 and 82071652), and the General Program of Guangdong Province Natural Science Foundation (No. 2020A1515010273).

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  1. These authors contributed equally: Jingsi Chen, Wenlu Ren

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China

    Jingsi Chen, Wenlu Ren, Lin Lin, Shanshan Zeng, Lijun Huang, Jingman Tang, Shilei Bi, Jiahong Pan, Dunjin Chen & Lili Du

  2. Department of Fetal Medicine and Prenatal Diagnosis, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China

    Jingsi Chen

  3. Obstetrics & Gynecology Institute of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, 510150, China

    Jingsi Chen, Wenlu Ren, Lin Lin, Shanshan Zeng, Lijun Huang, Jingman Tang, Shilei Bi, Jiahong Pan, Dunjin Chen & Lili Du

  4. Key Laboratory of Reproduction and Genetics of Guangdong Higher Education Institutes, Guangzhou, 510150, China

    Jingsi Chen, Wenlu Ren, Lin Lin, Shanshan Zeng, Lijun Huang, Jingman Tang, Shilei Bi, Jiahong Pan, Dunjin Chen & Lili Du

  5. Key Laboratories for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, 510150, China

    Jingsi Chen, Wenlu Ren, Lin Lin, Shanshan Zeng, Lijun Huang, Jingman Tang, Shilei Bi, Jiahong Pan, Dunjin Chen & Lili Du

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  1. Jingsi Chen
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Chen, J., Ren, W., Lin, L. et al. Abnormal cGMP-dependent protein kinase I-mediated decidualization in preeclampsia. Hypertens Res 44, 318–324 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-020-00561-6

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