Plasma nitric oxide levels and the expression of P-selectin on platelets in preeclampsia.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of plasma nitric oxide levels with the expression of P-selectin on platelets in preeclampsia.


METHODS
Plasma levels of nitrite and nitrate (the stable nitric oxide metabolites) and the expression of P-selectin on platelets (a platelet activation marker) were measured in 25 normal pregnant women and 25 women with preeclampsia. The effects of the inhibition of nitric oxide synthesis on the expression of P-selectin also was measured in vitro.


RESULTS
Plasma nitrate levels and the expression of P-selectin averaged 30.5 +/- 2.2 micromol/L and 8.9% +/- 1.1% (SEM), respectively, in preeclampsia, which was significantly higher than in normal pregnancy (P <.05). Nitric oxide synthesis inhibition in vitro significantly increased the expression of P-selectin in normal pregnancy by 284% (P <.05), which was significantly higher than in preeclampsia (156%, P <.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The inhibitory effects of increased nitric oxide on the expression of P-selectin is attenuated in preeclampsia, which may contribute partly to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
Yoneyama
Yoshio
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan. yoshi-1@nms.ac.jp
Suzuki
Shunji
S
Sawa
Rintaro
R
Miura
Atsushi
A
Doi
Daisuke
D
Otsubo
Yasuo
Y
Araki
Tsutomu
T
D000328:Adult; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D019007:P-Selectin / Q000097:blood*; D015539:Platelet Activation; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy
D019007:P-Selectin; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester