title: Effects of selective reduced uterine perfusion pressure in pregnant rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To assess the effects of selective reduced uterine perfusion pressure (SRUPP) in pregnant rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  20 pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats were allocated either to an intervention group, exposed to SRUPP (n = 10) or a control group, exposed to sham surgery (n = 10). Such procedures were performed on gestational day (GD) 14. The Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured on GD14 (before surgery) and GD20. We measured 18 h proteinuria on GD20. On GD21, mean fetal (MFW) and placental (MPW) weights were obtained. Oxidative stress and angiogenic markers were measured in placental tissue and urine. Mann Whitney U or Independent samples T test were used when appropriate. A two-sided P < 0.05 indicated statistical significance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  MAP on GD20 was higher in the intervention group (109 ± 1.7 mmHg) when compared with the control group (83 ± 1.5 mmHg) (P = 0.002). There was no significant difference in urinary protein excretion (117 ± 3.1 mg/24 h versus 136 mg ± 2.8/24 h, P = 0.18), MFW (4.14 ± 0.05 versus 4.39 ± 0.04 g, P = 0.19) or MPW (0.43 ± 0.008 versus 0.44 ± 0.006 g, P = 0.73) between the intervention and the control groups, respectively. The oxidative stress was increased; whereas, the sFLT1 expression was not increased when the SRUPP group was compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SRUPP is associated with an increase in maternal MAP and oxidative stress and therefore it may become a useful tool in the study of pregnancy-related hypertensive disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 853 Jefferson Ave, Room E102., Memphis, 38163, TN, USA. Electronic address: mschenon@uthsc.edu.
authors.forename: Mauro H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Schenone
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 853 Jefferson Ave, Room E102., Memphis, 38163, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mari
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 853 Jefferson Ave, Room E102., Memphis, 38163, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schlabritz-Loutsevitch
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, 853 Jefferson Ave, Room E102., Memphis, 38163, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahokas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology; D010477:Perfusion; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014599:Uterus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Gestational; Hypertension; Model; Preeclampsia; Rat