Placental ischemia in preeclampsia (PE) results in hypertension and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Stimulation of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) reduces blood pressure in the clinically relevant reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) rat model of PE implicating involvement in RUPP-induced hypertension. However, the contribution of sGC in the development of IUGR in PE is not known. Thus, this study demonstrated the efficacy of Riociguat, a sGC stimulator, in IUGR reversion in the RUPP rat model of PE, and tested the hypothesis that improvement in fetal weight occurs in association with improvement in placental perfusion, placental morphology, and placental nutrient transport protein expression. Sham or RUPP surgery was performed at gestational day 14 (G14) with administration of vehicle (Sham or RUPP) or the sGC stimulator (Riociguat, 10mg/kg/day, s.c.) (sGC-treated) until G20. Fetal weight was reduced (p=0.004) at G20 in RUPP but not sGC-treated RUPP compared to Sham, the control group. At G20, uterine artery resistance index (UARI) was increased (p=0.010) in RUPP indicating poor placental perfusion; proportional junctional zone surface area was elevated (p=0.035) indicating impaired placental development. These effects were ameliorated in sGC-treated RUPP. Placental protein expression of nutrient transporter heart fatty acid binding protein (hFABP) was increased (p=0.008) in RUPP but not sGC-treated RUPP suggesting a compensatory mechanism to maintain normal neurodevelopment. Yet, UARI (p<0.001), proportional junctional zone surface area (p=0.013), and placental hFABP protein expression (p=0.008) were increased in sGC-treated Sham suggesting a potential adverse effect of Riociguat. Collectively, these results suggest sGC contributes to IUGR in PE.
Effects of soluble guanylate cyclase activation on cardiovascular reactivity in spontaneously hypertensive rats with metabolic syndrome
