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SUMMARY:Are pericytes involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia?
DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20260728T130000
DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20260728T140000
DTSTAMP:20260722T221505Z
UID:6c9d7c33-e481-f111-ab0e-70a8a576d3d8
CREATED:20260717T133415Z
DESCRIPTION:Abstract:\nPreeclampsia is a hypertensive disorder of pregnanc
 y associated with significant maternal morbidity and mortality\, and is ch
 aracterised by maternal endothelial dysfunction and systemic microvascular
  injury. Placental extracellular vesicles (EVs) are known mediators of pla
 cental signalling\, but most studies focused on their effects on endotheli
 al cells. In the microcirculation\, however\, endothelial function is infl
 uenced by vascular mural cells\, including pericytes. Pericytes are import
 ant regulators of microvascular stability and angiogenesis in maternal org
 ans\, and their dysfunction has been implicated in vascular diseases\, yet
  the effects of placental EVs on pericytes remain poorly understood. This 
 talk will explore whether placental small EVs (psEVs) from normotensive an
 d early-onset preeclampsia pregnancies directly interact with microvascula
 r pericytes and alter their function. Using EVs isolated by ex vivo placen
 tal perfusion\, psEVs were shown to be internalised by human brain vascula
 r pericytes. Preeclampsia psEVs were found to induce significant transcrip
 tional and functional changes in pericytes\, resulting in metabolic reprog
 ramming associated with mitochondrial dysregulation and a superoxide-biase
 d redox state\, and impaired angiogenic signalling. Together\, these findi
 ngs suggest that pericytes are a plausible but overlooked target of placen
 tal EV signalling\, and may contribute to maternal microvascular dysfuncti
 on in preeclampsia. Therefore\, this work broadens the current understandi
 ng of preeclampsia pathophysiology\, and highlights the placenta–pericyt
 e axis as a potential therapeutic target.\n \nBio:\nAngga Lokeswara is a 
 final year DPhil student at the Nuffield Department of Women’s and Repro
 ductive Health\, University of Oxford. Prior to joining Oxford\, he obtain
 ed his medical degree from the University of Indonesia\, where he also con
 ducted and published research in maternal–fetal medicine\, with a partic
 ular focus on preeclampsia. His current research investigates the role of 
 placental extracellular vesicles in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia\, par
 ticularly how they interact with microvascular pericytes and contribute to
  maternal vascular dysfunction.
LAST-MODIFIED:20260721T104919Z
SPEAKER:Angga Lokeswara (Nuffield Department of Women's and Reproductive H
 ealth)
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