Elsevier

Life Sciences

Volume 62, Issue 15, 6 March 1998, Pages 1323-1332
Life Sciences

Plasma and platelet concentration and platelet uptake of serotonin in normal and pre-eclamptic pregnancies

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0024-3205(98)00066-6Get rights and content

Abstract

Pharmacologic and methodologic advances over the last decade have resulted in a body of information implicating serotonin as a mediator in the genesis of preeclamptic hypertension. Platelets contain the largest storage of serotonin in peripheral blood and have the ability to take up this amine from sourroundings, store and release it by several mechanisms. Plasma and platelet serotonin concentrations and platelet serotonin uptake have been measured in 8 non-pregnant women, 12 normal pregnant women and 8 women with severe pre-eclampsia. Plasma serotonin concentration was significantly higher in severely preeclamptic women, compared with age and gestation matched normal pregnant women. In addition, plasma serotonin concentration was directly related to systolic and diastolic blood pressure with severity of the syndrome. Furthermore, platelet serotonin concentration in women with pre-eclampsia was significantly higher than in non-pregnant controls, but it was not significantly different from the normal pregnant women. Moreover, serotonin is effectively taken up by platelets through a saturable transport process. The calculated apparent Km for serotonin uptake process did not differ significantly among non-pregnant women, normal pregnant women and women with pre-eclampsia. However, Vmax values were significantly higher in women with pre-eclampsia than in the normotensi ve pregnant women. As the actions of serotonin in the periphery could be terminated primarily by active uptake system by platelets and placenta, significant alterations in the rate of transport could result in physiologically significant changes in serotonin levels. These data raise the possibility that abnormal regulation of transporter function is involved in the etiology of pre-eclampsia.

References (32)

  • P.M. Vanhoutte et al.

    Biochem. Pharmacol.

    (1983)
  • V.R. Gujrati et al.

    Life Sci.

    (1994)
  • J. Talvenheimo et al.

    J. Biol. Chem.

    (1983)
  • S. Ramamoorthy et al.

    J. Biol. Chem.

    (1993)
  • V.R. Gujrati et al.

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1996)
  • C.P. Weiner

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1987)
  • J.M. Roberts et al.

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1989)
  • A.L.A. Boura et al.

    Placenta

    (1991)
  • M.A. Cruz et al.

    Gen. Pharmacol.

    (1995)
  • A. Kumar et al.

    Life Sci.

    (1990)
  • G. Rudnick et al.

    Methods in Enzimology

    (1992)
  • P.M. Kyle et al.

    Am. J. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1995)
  • N. Liel et al.

    Thromb. Res.

    (1993)
  • S. Ramamoorthy et al.

    Biochem. Biophys. Res. Comm.

    (1995)
  • G.G. Zeeman et al.

    Clin. Obstet. Gynecol.

    (1992)
  • P.J. Torres et al.

    Br. J. Obstet. Gynaecol.

    (1996)
  • Cited by (40)

    • Serotonin-estrogen interactions: What can we learn from pregnancy?

      2019, Biochimie
      Citation Excerpt :

      Serotonin concentrations in platelet-poor plasma, which indicate the free circulating 5-HT, are higher in pre-eclamptic than in normotensive women [372,373]. Platelet uptake of 5-HT is increased in pre-eclamptic compared to normotensive women, but the effect on platelet 5-HT concentration is not as clear [373,374]. Urinary excretion of 5-HT and 5-HIAA was also increased in pre-eclamptic patients [374,375].

    • What is precise pathophysiology in development of hypertension in pregnancy? Precision medicine requires precise physiology and pathophysiology

      2018, Drug Discovery Today
      Citation Excerpt :

      Plasma 5-HT can be effectively taken up by platelets through a storable transport process. Compared with normotensive pregnant women, the maximum velocity values for platelet 5-HT uptake were significantly higher in preeclampsia [79]. In human placenta, serotonin transporter (SERT) can reuptake 5-HT and terminate the effects of 5-HT [81].

    View all citing articles on Scopus
    View full text