Research to elucidate postnatal brain damage caused by preeclampsia

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K18664
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 56040:Obstetrics and gynecology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Seyama Takahiro 東京大学, 医学部附属病院女性外科, 助教 (30529079)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 妊娠高血圧腎症 / 高次脳機能障害 / サイトカイン / 行動実験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Although much epidemiological evidence has shown neuropsychiatric disorders develop in the offspring born from mothers with PE, no animal studies have examined its causal relationship. Current study aimed to investigate whether maternal PE affects the development of brain disorders in the offspring and its underlying pathophysiology by focusing on fetal brain inflammation using PE mouse model.
PE model mice was induced by continuous infusion of angiotensin Ⅱ(n=31) and PBS-administered mice. Offspring from PE mice showed more anxiety in the open field test. Offspring from PE mice demonstrates social behavior disorder in the social interaction test. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed mRNA expression of IL6, IL1β, and TNF-αare significantly enhanced in the brain of PE fetuses.

Free Research Field

周産期医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

疫学的研究により妊娠高血圧腎症（preeclampsia:PE)に罹患した母体から出生した児に将来の高次脳機能障害が多いことが示されているが、その病態機序を検討した先行研究は存在しない。本研究は、PE母体からの出生児が高次脳機能障害を呈しやすいという疫学的知見を指示する初めての成果で、高次脳機能障害発症の病態機序や治療の可能性を見出した。