Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder that occurs during pregnancy, and is a multifactorial disease. The antiangiogenic factor, soluble fms-like tyrosine kinase 1 (sFlt-1), has been reported to be important in the pathogenesis of PE, but the mechanism of its involvement remains unknown. To test the effects of sFlt-1 on pregnancy, we injected pregnant mice with exogenous mouse sFlt-1. After 18 days of gestation, higher blood pressure, proteinuria, and histological differences were observed compared with controls. Mitochondrial swelling inside the trophoblast cells in the placenta of sFlt-1-treated pregnant mice was observed by electron microscopy, which suggested a role of sFlt-1 in oxidative stress in trophoblasts in PE. Furthermore, apoptosis markers were upregulated in sFlt-1-treated mice. In conclusion, sFlt-1 appears to play a role in oxidative stress, which promotes apoptosis of trophoblasts. This may be an important mechanism in the development of PE.

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Background and Purpose This study aimed to explore several peripheral blood-based markers related to the inflammatory response in a total of 210 patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) caused by large artery occlusion in the anterior circulation who received endovascular therapy (EVT) from an observational study of clinical significance of circulating non-coding RNA in acute ischemic stroke (AISRNA). Methods We collected baseline characteristics of 210 AIS patients participating in an observational acute stroke cohort: the AISRNA study. The following inflammatory factors were measured in these participants: interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α], and interferon-γ [IFN-γ]. The National Institute of Health Stroke Scale score increase of ≥4 within 24 hours after EVT defined as early neurological deterioration (END). Results Compared with patients without END, patients with END had a higher incidence of atrial fibrillation ( P =0.012), and also had higher levels of IL-6 and IL-10 ( P <0.01). Furthermore, we found that the area under the curves (AUCs) of IL-6 and IL-10 for predicting END were 0.768 (0.697–0.829), and 0.647 (0.570–0.719), respectively. Adjusting for age, sex, and atrial fibrillation, the odds ratios (ORs; 95% confidence interval) for incident END for IL-6 and IL-10 were 1.98 (1.05–6.69) and 1.18 (1.04–1.33), respectively. Additionally, we found significant changes over time in the expression levels of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 in patients with END compared with patients without END ( P <0.05). Conclusion IL-6 and IL-10 levels at admission may be potential markers of END after EVT, and the time course of IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 is correlated with stroke progression. Further larger studies are needed to confirm the current findings. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04175691. Registered November 21, 2019, https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04175691

IntroductionThe association between early exposure to ambient air pollution and adverse pregnancy outcomes in China is unclear. This study will assess the risk of early-life exposure to air pollutants in Beijing and explore the viability of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as a biological indicator to assess oxidative stress induced by early-life exposure to air pollution.Methods and analysisHere, 2500 women with singleton pregnancies and their infants will be recruited from the Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. We will collect nine types of biological samples, including maternal serum, urine, placental tissue, umbilical cord tissue and umbilical cord blood during all three trimesters. The air pollution data (particulate matter (PM)2.5, PM10 and similar factors) will be recorded at official fixed-site monitoring stations closest to where the pregnant women live. We plan to assess the effect of air pollutants on adverse pregnancy outcomes and infant respiratory and circulatory disease using Cox regression and competitive risk analysis and explore possible critical windows of exposure during pregnancy using daily pollutant concentrations averaged over various periods of pregnancy combined with individual activity and physiological parameters. Maternal and umbilical cord blood samples (1000 samples) will be randomly selected for 8-OHdG assays to assess the correlation between exposures to air pollutants and oxidative stress. We will determine whether air pollutant exposure or 8-OHdG levels are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. SPSS and SAS statistical software will be used for data analysis. Cox regression and competing risk analysis will be used to compute the HR and population attributable risk.Ethics and disseminationThis research protocol has already been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. Written informed consent will be obtained from all study participants prior to enrolment. The results will be published in peer-reviewed journals or disseminated through conference presentations.Trial registration numberThis study has been registered in WHO International Clinical Trial Register—Chinese Clinical Trial Registry under registrationnumber ChiCTR-ROC-16010181 (http :// www.chictr.org.cn / showproj.aspx ?proj=17328).