The expression of neutrophil products, myeloperoxidase and matrix metalloproteinase 8, in systemic vasculature of obese and preeclamptic women

Evidence shows the activation of neutrophils in the systemic vasculature of obese and preeclamptic women. In this study, I evaluated whether expression of neutrophil products, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and matrix metalloproteinase 8 (MMP8), was associated with neutrophil infiltration in systemic vascular tissue of obese and preeclamptic women. I tested my hypotheses by using immunohistochemical studies to look at the expression of MPO and MMP8 in the vasculature of obese and preeclamptic women. There was a significantly greater expression of MPO and MMP8 in the vasculature of preeclamptic women as compared to normal pregnant and normal nonpregnant women. The vasculature of obese women also had a significantly greater expression of MPO and MMP8 as compared to overweight and normal weight patients.;These studies are the first to report that activated neutrophils in systemic vasculature are releasing MPO and MMP8. These findings also indicate that the vascular phenotype of obese and preeclamptic women is similar in that they both show an increased presence of MPO and MMP8 in the systemic vasculature as a result of neutrophil infiltration. This suggests that obese women are at increased risk for preeclampsia because their vasculature is already exposed to increased levels of MPO and MMP8, so when they become pregnant and experience further oxidative stress imposed by the placenta along with an increase in neutrophil number, they develop the clinical symptoms of preeclampsia.