[Possible role of placental proteases via degradation of vasoactive peptides in the maternal and fetal blood pressure].

ABSTRACT

Both fetal and maternal blood pressure is regulated mainly by the humoral factor, vasoactive peptides such as angiotensin II and vasopressin, but not by autoregulation and the autonomic nervous system. It is known that the normal musculoelastic tissue in the vessel wall of the coiled artery, which supplies blood to the uteroplacental blood pool, is replaced by fibrinous tissue with advancing gestation. Therefore uteroplacental circulation is similar to arterio-venous shunt; it is possibly important for the homeostasis of maternal blood pressure. It is known that hypoxemia results in both the redistribution of feto-placental blood flow, the increase of blood flow in the placenta, and the increase of fetal vasoactive peptides. Since placental proteases (vasopressinase and angiotensinase) degrade vasoactive peptides, placental proteases protect the placental vessels from the vasoconstriction by vasoactive peptides and might contribute to the redistribution of feto-placental blood flow. Therefore placental proteases effect on fetal blood pressure via regulation of fetal vasoactive peptides, which regulate placental blood flow. Although human and animal pregnancy is normally associated with a refractory response to the pressor effect of exogenously infused angiotensin II, patients with pre-eclampsia as well as nonpregnant women are sensitive to angiotensin II; thin phenomenon has been studied as one of the causes of pre-eclampsia. Since the administration of placental angiotensinase was effective in lowering blood pressure in rats with hypertension induced by the infusion of angiotensin II, placental proteases are possibly involved in the refractory response to exogenously infused angiotensin II.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)