HtrA4-induced endothelial dysfunction in early-onset preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a life-threatening complication of human pregnancy that is associated with wide-spread damage to endothelial cells, which cover all of the maternal blood vessels. HtrA4 is a protein that is specifically produced by the placenta and is found to be highly elevated in preeclampsia, especially in early-onset subtype. This PhD study demonstrated that HtrA4 has a detrimental effect on endothelial cells, including circulating endothelial progenitor cells, which are involved in repair. It was also found that HtrA4 can cleave receptors on endothelial cell surface to block normal cellular function. Therefore, HtrA4 may contribute to the pathogenesis of early-onset preeclampsia.