Effects of miR-141-containing extracellular vesicles in the regulation of endothelial tube formation by trophoblastic cells

Preeclampsia constitutes a hypertensive disorder exclusive to pregnancy. It is a systemic disease with multi-organ involvement that complicates between 2 - 8% of all pregnancies, remaining one of the primary causes of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality in the world. Preeclampsia has been associated with improper extravillous trophoblast invasion into uterine spiral arteries and deficiency of their remodeling. Previous studies have revealed that trophoblast cells secrete microRNAs (miRNAs) into the maternal circulation by packing them within extracellular vesicles (EVs). This process takes place in normal and in preeclamptic pregnancies, but at different quantities and qualities, indicating its potential role in physiology and pathology of the placenta. EVs are present in maternal plasma from early pregnancy onwards, which represents potential diagnostic tools as biomarkers for gestational pathologies. ...