NADPH oxidase activity in preeclampsia with immortalized lymphoblasts used as models

Upon activation, neutrophils release reactive oxygen species that are believed to contribute to the widespread manifestation of preeclampsia. Neutrophils have an NADPH oxidase enzyme that catalyzes the production of reactive oxygen species. Little is known about the manifestations of the activated response and the upstream signaling pathways that regulate this process in preeclampsia. It is hypothesized that genetic factors may contribute to the release of reactive oxygen species and consequently the pathophysiology of the disease. We used Epstein-Barr virus-immortalized lymphoblasts from third-trimester, preeclamptic, postpartum preeclamptic women and their respective control subjects to assess NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production by using luminol-derived chemiluminescence and dihydrorhodamine-123 fluorescence. There was no effect of pregnancy status on the lymphoblast phorbol ester-stimulated luminol chemiluminescence area under the curve. However, lymphoblasts from preeclamptic patients had significant elevation of the lymphoblast phorbol ester-stimulated luminol area under the curve (F statistic 10.922, P<0.002). Similar findings were evident with dihydrorhodamine-123. No differences were revealed between preeclamptic and control cells when measuring the abundance of the phox proteins using Western blotting. Studies with genistein and tyrphostin implicated tyrosine kinase-dependent mechanisms in the control of NADPH oxidase-associated increased reactive oxygen species production in preeclampsia. These data show that preeclampsia is associated with a predisposition to increased agonist-stimulated NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production. The enhancement of reactive oxygen species generation may be important in mediating the endothelial dysfunction seen in preeclampsia.