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Abstract
Cation transport across blood cell membrane is altered during hypertensive pregnancy. Since this finding has been reported using different cell lines, we aimed to assess the activity of carrier enzymes in vitro in cultured trophoblast cells. Cells from six normotensive and six preeclamptic patients were cultured, and Na+/K+-ATPase, Ca++-ATPase activities, and cytosolic free calcium were measured immediately after preparation and after 8 and 24 hours. Na+/K+-ATPase activity was reduced, Ca++-ATPase activity and cytosolic free Ca++ increased in trophoblastic cells from preeclamptic patients, compared to the normotensive.
After 8 hours both the enzymatic activities and the free calcium concentration increased in both groups. After 24 hours no significant difference was found in both Ca++-ATPase activity and free calcium between trophoblast cells from preeclamptic and normotensive women, whereas Na+/K+-ATPase activity in trophoblast from preeclamptic women remained reduced compared to that observed in cells from normotensive women. These results indicate that the altered enzyme activity in preeclampsia may be caused by different mechanisms: Ca++-ATPase may be sensitive to changes in cell microenvironment, whereas Na+/K+ATPase could undergo intrinsic structural changes.