Increased Endothelial Monolayer Permeability is Induced by Serum from Women with Preeclampsia but not by Serum from Women with Normal Pregnancy or that are not Pregnant

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Abstract
Objective. To determine if endothelial monolayer permeability could be altered by serum from preeclampsia (PE). Methods. Confluent normal endothelial cells (ECs) were incubated with 20% serum from nonpregnant females, normal and PE pregnancies or combined with antioxidant superoxide dismutase (SOD) for 8 hr. Confluent PE ECs were incubated with 20% serum from normal pregnancies. EC barrier function of monolayer permeability was accessed by measuring EC electrical resistance (ER) and the leakage of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) passing through EC filters. Plasma concentrations of IL‐8 and lipid peroxides by MDA were also measured. We determined 1) if serum from PE could affect EC permeable function; 2) if antioxidant and serum from normal pregnancies could preserve PE EC barrier function; 3) if lipid peroxides and cytokine IL‐8 were increased in PE blood samples. Data are presented as mean±SE. ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. A p level less than 0.05 was considered statistically different. Results. 1) ER was significantly decreased and HRP passage was significantly increased in ECs incubated with serum from PE compared to serum from non‐pregnant and normal pregnant females (ER: 36.30±2.60 vs. 51.30±4.00 and 53.90±5.80 Ω·cm2, pp2, p2 (SOD+PE serum) vs. 42.34±3.24 (control) and 35.46±2.44 (PE serum), pppConclusions. 1) Sera from PE but not from nonpregnant women or normal pregnancies increase EC monolayer permeability. 2) Increased lipid peroxides and IL‐8 are candidates altering EC barrier function. 3) Antioxidant SOD preserves increased EC monolayer permeability induced by PE serum, suggesting that EC oxidative stress may be associated with altered EC barrier function in preeclampsia.