Maternal B-cell depletion nor TNF-α blockade worsen offspring outcomes in a rat model of preeclampsia

Abstract

Preeclampsia (PE), new onset hypertension during pregnancy, is associated with maternal death and morbidity, low birth weight in offspring, increased tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and B cells producing autoantibodies. We have shown that Etanercept (E), a TNF-α inhibitor, improves blood pressure in the reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) rat model of PE and that Rituximab (R), used clinically for B cell depletion, lowered blood pressure and B cells in RUPP rats. Clinical use of R or E during pregnancy has not resulted in adverse outcomes for the mother, however, the effects of maternal B cell depletion or TNF-α blockade on offspring immune cells in response to placental ischemia is unknown.