Mechanisms of Pregnancy Vascular Adaptations
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Omental Biopsy.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Pre-Eclampsia, Vascular Diseases. Basic parameters: 18 years — 40 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Angiotensin 2 Receptor (AT2R) Expression/Activation in Endothelial Cells in Preeclampsia
Overview
The investigators will collect omental tissue (research surgical excision) and placental tissue (standard of care clinical delivery) from both preeclamptic and non-preeclamptic women during their c-section and use these samples to study the blood vessels, specifically the expression/activation of the AT2R.
Detailed description
Trial Design: The study is a comparison of two cohorts, those with and without preeclampsia during pregnancy. The team plans to investigate role of FABP4, PFAS and AT2 in modulation of vascular function/dysfunction using vessels isolated from the omental biopsies. The investigators will examine evidence of fetal vascular dysfunction mediated by decreased expression of AT2 in preeclampsia using vessels isolated from the placentas.
Study Population: The study will include pregnant women. The pregnant women will participate in the omental tissue collection, placenta collection, and the medical record review.
The study is expects a maximum enrollment of 166 pregnant women. This is because 52 omental biopsies and 104 placentas are required to meet proposed statistical considerations. Participants have the option of providing just one or both of the specimens. There is a possibility as few as 52 participants could be enrolled and a maximum of 166 participants could be enrolled to meet this requirement. There is an additional 10 participants enrollment built into the enrollment number to allow for replacement of subjects based on lack of clinical data in some participants, failure of tissue viability and hence experiments, and thus a maximum of 166 (156+10) participants could be enrolled.
This required enrollment is divided into two cohorts based on the diagnosis of preeclampsia: specimens in which the woman was diagnosed with preeclampsia during her pregnancy, and 26 of each type of specimen in which the woman was not diagnosed with preeclampsia during her pregnancy. Additionally, each cohort will be divided into two groups based on gender of the fetus.
Interventions
- Procedure Omental Biopsy
The surgeon and clinical care team will conduct the c-section to deliver the baby and the placenta as clinically indicated. After delivery, during the closing procedures, the surgeon will indicate a time for a participating Ob/Gyn physician on the study team to collect the omental bio-specimen. Omentum is frequently excised or removed for clinical reasons during surgical procedures. Omentum has small blood vessels within it that have been used for evaluation of vascular functional changes in res
Primary outcome measures
- Quantify the vascular AT2R expression and vascular function in placental and omental vascular arteries in both preeclamptic and controlled pregnancies. [Time frame: 1 year]
- To test if ex-vivo treatment of AT2R agonists reverses the endothelial dysfunction and improves vasoconstriction in the preeclamptic vessels. [Time frame: 1 year]
- To test AT2R mediated mechanisms on endothelial derived hyperpolarizing factor, nitric oxide and prostacyclin pathway of vascular relaxation to examine AT2's role in vaso-relaxation and AT2R mediated vasoconstrictor pathway will be defined. [Time frame: 1 year]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Female
- Ages 18 to 40 years old
- Singleton gestation between 28 weeks, 0 days and 41 weeks, 0 days gestational age at the time of consent
- Undergoing caesarean section, either planned or otherwise with or without trial of labor
Exclusion criteria
- Treatment of severe hypertension by antihypertensive or use of magnesium sulfate after the patient is hospitalized for the diagnosis of preeclampsia.
- Any major fetal structural anomalies or aneuploidies
- Undergoing cesarean section for placental abruption or bleeding complications.
- Singleton gestation not within 36 weeks, 0 days and 41 weeks, 0 days gestational age at the time of enrollment (delivery)
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- UnityPoint Health-Meriter Hospital — Madison
Identifiers
NCT: NCT03806283 · 2025-1352 · 5R01HL134779-02 · A532860 · SMPH/OBSTET & GYNECOL/OBSTET · Protocol Version 12/23/2025 · 2018-1368