Inhibition of T-cell activation attenuates hypertension, TNFα, IL-17, and blood-brain barrier permeability in pregnant rats with angiogenic imbalance.

PROBLEM: Angiogenic imbalance during pregnancy is associated with immune activation, hypertension, increased T cell infiltration, and neurological insults.

METHOD OF STUDY: On gestational day (GD) 12, timed-pregnant rats were infused with anti-angiogenic factors sFlt-1 and sEndoglin (4.7 and 7 μg/kg) to create HELLP syndrome via mini-osmotic pumps for 8 days, with a subset of these rats having Orencia (2 mg/kg) infused on GD13. On GD19, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability was evaluated via Evan's Blue infusion, blood was collected for T-cell measurements, inflammatory cytokine secretion. Brain tissues were also collected to examine inflammatory cytokine infiltration.

RESULTS: T-cell attenuation with Orencia decreased circulating CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, circulating tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and IL-17, BBB permeability and significantly decreased biochemical evidence of HELLP compared to untreated HELLP rats.

CONCLUSIONS: These data support the hypothesis that T cells have a critical role in contributing to the pathophysiology that is seen in angiogenic imbalance during pregnancy.