A BABOON MODEL FOR PRE-ECLAMPSIA

Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio TX

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Abstract

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Baboons (Papio spp) are a non-human primate possessing the same hemochorial placenta found in humans. What sets this well established animal model of pregnancy aside from rodent models is the presence of the same vascular remodeling processes involved in trophoblast invasion that is unique to all primate placental formation. Until recently there was a concern that baboons are not the best candidates for developing an animal model of PE due to the shallow trophoblast invasion that occurs in this species. Our extensive use of this animal model has, however, revealed the occurrence of placental abruption [unreadable]a PE-associated complication found in human pregnancy [unreadable]in baboons. Moreover, a baboon model of PE using surgical uterine artery ligation has recently been presented. These observations suggest that the pregnant baboon represents a potentially key animal model of PE that provides amazing opportunities for biomarker identification and treatment discovery. The goal is to develop a procedure in baboons to model PE that follows on the invasive procedure of uterine artery ligation published by Makris et al. (2007) but that does not require invasive surgery of the abdominal cavity. Specifically, we will apply a well established technique for reducing uterine artery blood flow via the placement of intravascular stents. This approach is routinely applied in human medicine for treatment of uterine bleeding and fibroids. Development of this approach in the pregnant baboon has the additional potential to contribute to the field of interventional radiology.