RESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: The current study examines the placental and maternal lipid profile and expression of genes involved in placental lipid metabolism in women with preeclampsia. METHODS: The current study includes normotensive control women (nâ=â40) and women with preeclampsia (nâ=â39). Preeclampsia women were further classified into women delivering at term preeclampsia (T-PE; nâ=â15) and preterm preeclampsia (PT-PE; nâ=â24). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in maternal lipid profile between the T-PE and normotensive control groups. Maternal plasma VLDL (Pâ<â0.05) and ratios of total cholesterolâ:âHDL (Pâ<â0.05), atherogenic index [log (triglycerides/HDL)] (Pâ<â0.01) and apolipoprotein Bâ:âapolipoprotein A (Pâ<â0.05) were higher in the PT-PE group as compared with the normotensive control group. Placental total cholesterol and HDL levels were higher (Pâ<â0.05) in the T-PE as compared with the normotensive control group. Higher placental triglycerides (Pâ<â0.05) were observed in PT-PE group compared with T-PE group. Placental mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α, carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1, cluster of differentiation 36 and lipoprotein lipases were lower (Pâ<â0.05) in the PT-PE than normotensive control group. A negative association of mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor α (râ=â-0.246, Pâ=â0.032; râ=â-0.308, Pâ=â0.007, respectively), carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 (râ=â-0.292, Pâ=â0.011; râ=â-0.366, Pâ=â0.001), lipoprotein lipases (râ=â-0.296, Pâ=â0.010; râ=â-0.254, Pâ=â0.028) with SBP and DBP was observed. There was a positive association of placental triglycerides (râ=â0.244, Pâ=â0.031) with DBP. CONCLUSION: Women with preeclampsia exhibit higher lipidâ:âlipoprotein ratios suggesting an atherogenic state particularly in women delivering preterm. Lower expression of genes involved in placental fatty acid oxidation and transport was also observed in preeclampsia.