Meeting Abstract

P2.148  Sunday, Jan. 5 15:30  Leptin’s promoter methylated in pregnant women with a low flow-mediated vasodilation RODRIGUEZ, L.M.; AGUILAR, A.C.; CASTILLO, A.O.*; Univ. del Valle, Cali – Colombia; Univ. del Valle, Cali – Colombia; Univ. del Valle, Cali – Colombia acastillo.doc@gmail.com

Context: Leptin is a hormone made by adipocytes that acts on brain to regulate food intake and body weigh. Also, leptin has nitric oxide (NO)-dependent vasodilator actions. Recent study indicates that, under physiological conditions, leptin stimulates both endothelin (ET)-1, and NO activity in the human circulation. Methods: Several promoter region methylation degrees in four placental tissues of pregnant women, whom had, at the end of gestational period, a low change in FMD (flow-mediated vasodilation), were evaluated using the new EpiTect Methyl II Signature PCR Arrays (Qiagen). Results: Placenta samples from women with a low FMD showed high percentages of methylation in the leptin’s promoter region, with a range from 58.4% to 76.2%, compared the woman who had a high FMD, with a range from 1,6% to 36.8%. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the regulation in placenta of leptin’s gene expression by methylation control affects the flow-mediated vasodilatation. Thereby, these results are important to understand and prevent possible problems associated to placental vascularization.