Preeclampsia disproportionately impacts Black and Hispanic women, a fact that was brought to light following the death of American track and field champion Tori Bowie earlier this year.
A gold, silver, and bronze medalist in the 2016 Olympic Games, Bowie, 32, was found dead in her bed on May 2, 2023, while approximately eight months pregnant. According to the autopsy report the complications may have involved eclampsia, a severe form of preeclampsia that can cause high blood pressure, headaches, blurry vision, and convulsions.
“Research has shown that women of certain races have genes that could possibly lead to higher than average blood pressure levels, eventually creating conditions for preeclampsia during pregnancy. However, it’s also true that in many low socio-economic countries, there’s no registry to record PE cases. So, its link to other environmental factors is still unclear,” said Sharma.
Preeclampsia and the brain
Recent research has also shed light on preeclampsia’s long-term impacts and possible links to brain health.
“Preeclampsia presents immediate dangers to both the mother and fetus, but its long-term effects are less understood and still unfolding,” said Sharma.
“Research has suggested a heightened risk of dementia later in life for both mothers who have experienced preeclampsia and their children.” However, the causal link between preeclampsia and dementia is not known.
The researchers stated that this new study may have found the underlying cause of the complex relationship between preeclampsia and brain health.
“Our study adds another layer to this complexity. For the first time, we’ve identified significant levels of cis P-tau outside the brain in the placenta and blood of preeclampsia patients. This suggests a deeper connection between preeclampsia and brain-related issues,” said Jash, the lead author of the study, and assistant professor of molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry (research), and pediatrics (research) at Brown.
How the body responds to stress may also be a potential factor in the onset of preeclampsia.
“Although genetics play a role, factors like stress could be an important piece of the puzzle. Understanding how stress and other environmental factors intersect with biological markers like cis P-tau may offer a more complete picture,” said Jash.
A stress-response enzyme
Lu and Zhou discovered the stress-response enzyme called Pin1 in 1996 and 1997. It is a protein in the cells that activates in response to stressors, such as environmental challenges, toxins, or physiological changes.
“Pin1 plays a pivotal role in keeping proteins, including the tau protein, in the functional shape during stress. When Pin1 becomes inactivated, it leads to the formation of a toxic, misshapen, variant of tau – cis P-tau,” said Zhou, associate professor, of pathology and laboratory medicine at Schulich Medicine & Dentistry.
The Pin1 enzyme is a major part of cancer signaling networks, turning on numerous cancer-causing proteins and turning off many cancer-suppressing ones. It is found in high levels in most human cancers and is particularly active in cancer stem cells.
“Essentially, when Pin1 is activated, it can lead to cancer. On the other hand, when there’s a decrease or deactivation in Pin1, it results in the formation of the toxic protein cis P-tau, which leads to memory loss in Alzheimer’s and after TBI or stroke. Now, we’ve uncovered its connection to preeclampsia as well,” said Zhou.
“The results have far-reaching implications. This could revolutionize how we understand and treat a range of conditions, from pregnancy-related issues to brain disorders,” said Lu.