Pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) causes hypertensive cerebropathy, deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolismlung edema, intrauterine growth retardation, and premature delivery. It is therefore considered to be a serious disease that affects both mother and fetus. However, the mechanism through which PIH induces its clinical symptoms is unknown. At first, damage to vascular endothelial cells induces vasoconstriction and hemoconcentration, resulting in fetoplacental circulation dysfunction. Then, clinical symptoms such as hypertension and protein urea are induced.As described above, the damage caused to vascular endothelial cells is the main pathogenic factor in PIH and results in decreased concentrations of vasodilatatory factors. Therefore, it is assumed that circulation homeostasis is disrupted. The prostaglandin I 2 (PGI 2 )-thromboxane A 2 (TXA 2 ) adjustment system is present in many circulation control systems. Prostaglandin I 2 is synthesized in the endovascular system and acts as a vasodilator in addition to its inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. In contrast, TXA 2 is synthesized by platelets, acts as a vasoconstrictor, and induces platelet aggregation. Furthermore, PGI 2 and TXA 2 are synthesized from the same precursor, arachidonic acid. These prostaglandins, which have opposite effects, are synthesized in close proximity to each other, such as in blood vessels and platelets, and maintain circulation homeostasis. Therefore, the PGI 2 -TXA 2 balance is considered to be a complex mechanism for circulation control. Additionally, PGI 2 and TXA 2 are synthesized in the placenta, umbilical vein, uterine blood vessel, amnion, chorionic villi, and decidua. The PGI 2 -TXA 2 balance is considered to be very important in the fetoplacental circulating system; therefore, an imbalance in this system may play an important part in PIH pathogenesis.1) In another report, production of PGI 2 was decreased and TXA 2 was increased in the blood, urine, and tissues of PIH maternal and fetal tissues, indicating that the PGI 2 -TXA 2 equilibrium in these tissues is pushed towards TXA 2 . Similar results have also been reported in umbilical and placental tissue.2) These differences may depend on (1) the activity of prostaglandin production enzymes, (2) the content of these enzymes, and (3) the activity of inhibitors for these enzymes.Satoh et al. reported that the activity of enzymes such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), which takes part in the synthesis of PGI 2 , is decreased in the endothelium of the umbilical vein in patients with severe PIH, resulting in an imbalance in the PGI 2 -TXA 2 system that leads to TXA 2 predominance.
3)However, in their report, no distinction between COX-1 and COX-2 was made because the isozymes of COX had not yet been discovered. In addition, Keirse et al. determined the contents of COX and PGI 2 synthetase using an immunoradiometric assay with monoclonal antibody. 4,5) In their report, COX was induced and increased with increasing gestational age, but there was no difference in the level ...