RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the vascular functional activity, localisation and expression of B1 and B2 kinin receptors in normal pregnancy and pre-eclampsia. METHODS: Kinin receptor-mediated relaxation of myometrial arteries was assessed using wire myography. Immunohistochemical staining and gene expression of kinin receptors in the myometrium was determined. RESULTS: B2 receptor-mediated relaxation was reduced in pre-eclampsia. B1 receptor-mediated relaxation was observed in a proportion of healthy women and was impaired in pre-eclampsia. Receptor expression and localisation was unaltered in pre-eclampsia. CONCLUSION: Here, we demonstrate a novel B1 receptor-mediated vasodilatation in healthy myometrial vessels that is absent in pre-eclampsia.
