AQP4 AND AQP9 POSITIVE-EXTRACELLULAR VESICLES IN PREECLAMPSIA

FERNANDEZ, NAZARENA; SIERRA, MATIAS N.; ESCUDERO, CARLOS; SZPILBARG, NATALIA; DAMIANO, ALICIA E.

Congreso; International Federation of Placenta Associations Meeting 2023; 2023

Objectives: Emerging evidence shows that extracellular vesicles (EVs) can modulate signals on neighboring trophoblast and endothelial cells, and distant cells of other organs during pregnancy. EVs may also be taken up and integrated into the target cells. Here, we aimed to detect aquaporin-4 (AQP4) and aquaporin-9 (AQP9) protein expressions in EV-enriched samples of plasma from healthy and preeclamptic pregnant women and compared them with the AQP4 and AQP9 expressions in the placenta.Methods: Placentas and EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples were obtained from 6 women with healthy-term pregnancies and 6 preeclamptic ones. EVs were isolated from maternal plasma by differential centrifugation and microfiltration, and analyzed by Dynamic light scattering in a Zetasizer Nano-ZSP equipment to determine the size of the vesicles. AQP4, AQP9, CD63, and PLAP expression were assessed by Western blot in EV-enriched samples and placental tissue.Results: According to its high expression in preeclamptic placentas, AQP9 expression also significantly increased in preeclamptic EV samples. On the other hand, AQP4 expression was almost undetectable in preeclamptic placentas compared to normal ones, while the levels of AQP4 in EVs increased.Conclusion: Our results show that AQP4 and AQP9 are expressed in EVs isolated from the plasma of healthy and preeclamptic pregnant women. Although the expression of AQP9 in EVs reflects what is happening in the placenta, the expression of AQP4 shows a different behavior. These findings suggest that AQP´s presence in EV may be regulated by different stimuli beyond their presence in the plasma membrane. Further studies are needed to define the functional significance of AQP-positive EVs during gestation.