Placental and pre-delivery plasma data, corresponding to the uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 25) and preeclampsia (n = 19) groups described in Supplementary S4 Table.

<p>Placental and pre-delivery plasma data, corresponding to the uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 25) and preeclampsia (n = 19) groups described in Supplementary S4 Table.</p

Clinical characteristics of uncomplicated pregnancy control (n = 19), gestational hypertensive (n = 9), and preeclampsia (n = 9) groups; for comparison of soluble Sdc1 in gestational age-matched, 2^nd trimester maternal plasma.

<p>Clinical characteristics of uncomplicated pregnancy control (n = 19), gestational hypertensive (n = 9), and preeclampsia (n = 9) groups; for comparison of soluble Sdc1 in gestational age-matched, 2^nd trimester maternal plasma.</p

Low Soluble Syndecan-1 Precedes Preeclampsia - Fig 3

<p><b>Representative images of Sdc1 immunoreactivity in preeclampsia (</b><u><b>A</b></u><b>) compared to uncomplicated pregnancy (</b><u><b>B</b></u><b>) villous tissue.</b> Note the more intense staining on syncytiotrophoblast of uncomplicated pregnancy (immunohistochemical score = 4) compared to preeclampsia (score = 1), and apparent absence of staining in fetal villous vasculature throughout. Gestational age at delivery was 36.6 weeks for both placentas. <u>C</u>: Sample Western blot of villous tissue homogenates from the preeclampsia and control patients; band densities at the expected 85 kDa are consistent with reduced Sdc1 protein mass in preeclampsia. See also <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0157608#pone.0157608.t003" target="_blank">Table 3</a> for summary group data.</p

Clinical characteristics of uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 25) and preeclampsia (n = 19) groups for placental evaluations.

<p>Clinical characteristics of uncomplicated pregnancy (n = 25) and preeclampsia (n = 19) groups for placental evaluations.</p

Cigarette exposure induces changes in maternal vascular function in a pregnant mouse model

Smoking is associated with multiple adverse pregnancy outcomes, including fetal growth restriction. The objective of this study was to determine whether cigarette smoke exposure during pregnancy in a mouse model affects the functional properties of maternal uterine, mesenteric, and renal arteries as a possible mechanism for growth restriction. C57Bl/CJ mice were exposed to whole body sidestream smoke for 4 h/day. Smoke particle exposure was increased from day 4 of gestation until late pregnancy (day 16–19), with mean total suspended particle levels of 63 mg/m3, representative of moderate-to-heavy smoking in humans. Uterine, mesenteric, and renal arteries from late-pregnant and virgin mice were isolated and studied in a pressure-arteriograph system (n = 23). Plasma cotinine was measured by ELISA. Fetal weights were significantly reduced in smoke-exposed compared with control fetuses (0.88 ± 0.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.08 g, P < 0.02), while litter sizes were not different. Endothelium-mediated relaxation responses to methacholine were significantly impaired in both the uterine and mesenteric vasculature of pregnant mice exposed to cigarette smoke during gestation. This difference was not apparent in isolated renal arteries from pregnant mice exposed to cigarette smoke; however, relaxation was significantly reduced in renal arteries from smoke-exposed virgin mice. In conclusion, we found that passive cigarette smoke exposure is associated with impaired vascular relaxation of uterine and mesenteric arteries in pregnant mice. Functional maternal vascular perturbations during pregnancy, specifically impaired peripheral and uterine vasodilation, may contribute to a mechanism by which smoking results in fetal growth restriction

Soluble Sdc1 concentrations increased significantly with advancing gestation.

<p>Box-plot of soluble Sdc1 concentrations in maternal plasma as a function of successive gestational weeks (W) and postpartum stages, of n = 8 women with uncomplicated pregnancy outcome. The solid and dotted lines through the interior of the boxes correspond to median and mean values, respectively. The top and bottom of each box correspond to 75^th and 25^th percentiles, respectively. Horizontal lines on the top of the graph indicate significant differences between the time points (P<0.05; Repeated Measures Analysis of Variance on Ranks with post hoc Student-Newman-Keuls test).</p