Abstract
Pregnancy is a period in a woman's life in which changes can occur that affect different physiological processes. Common conditions during this period include vascular changes, such as lower extremity venous insufficiency (VI). This is an observational, analytical, and prospective cohort study in which 114 pregnant women were analyzed, of which 62 were clinically diagnosed with VI. In parallel, 52 control patients without VI (HC) were studied. The aim of this study was to observe changes in angiogenesis and inflammation markers as well as the presence of calcium deposits. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. The presence of calcium deposits was revealed using the von Kossa method. In the placentas of mothers with VI, gene expression of VEGF (34.575 [32.380–36.720] VI vs 32.965 [30.580–36.320] HC) and PEDF (25.417 [24.459–27.675] VI vs 24.400 [23.102–30.223] HC) significantly increased, as was protein expression in the placental villi. An increase in calcium deposits was observed in the placentas of women with VI (72.58% VI/53.84% HC). This study revealed the existence of cellular damage in the placental villi of mothers with VI with tissue implications such as increased calcification.
Highlights
Pregnancy is a period in a woman’s life in which changes can occur that affect different physiological processes
Our previous studies have demonstrated that venous insufficiency (VI) is related to structural lesions of the placental villi associated with an increase in hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) [7, 9]. e association of HIF with vascular diseases during pregnancy is well known; numerous studies have clarified its important role in the pathogenesis of diseases such as preeclampsia [10,11,12]
Calcification may play a fundamental role in the rigidity of tissues and in the human placenta. e studies by Zhang et al [17] have shown that pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) can play an important role in human placenta calcification and damage, being a determining factor in vascular diseases such as preeclampsia. e aim of this study is to observe possible changes in the expression of angiogenesis and inflammation markers as well as the changes that may occur as a result of these processes, such as the presence of calcium deposits
Summary
Pregnancy is a period in a woman’s life in which changes can occur that affect different physiological processes. Cell damage can be associated with a process of connective tissue alterations due to the loss or poor organization of elastic fibers Among these events, calcification may play a fundamental role in the rigidity of tissues and in the human placenta. E studies by Zhang et al [17] have shown that PEDF can play an important role in human placenta calcification and damage, being a determining factor in vascular diseases such as preeclampsia. E aim of this study is to observe possible changes in the expression of angiogenesis and inflammation markers as well as the changes that may occur as a result of these processes, such as the presence of calcium deposits Calcification may play a fundamental role in the rigidity of tissues and in the human placenta. e studies by Zhang et al [17] have shown that PEDF can play an important role in human placenta calcification and damage, being a determining factor in vascular diseases such as preeclampsia. e aim of this study is to observe possible changes in the expression of angiogenesis and inflammation markers as well as the changes that may occur as a result of these processes, such as the presence of calcium deposits
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