Denna sida
på svenska

Genetic and monoaminergic mechanism during normal pregnancy, preeclampsia and intrauterine growth retardation

Principal investigator; Hansson, Stefan, Associate Professor, MD/PhD

Clinical speciality: Obstetrics and gynaecology

Phone: +46462223011

Co-workers: Dr. Bertil Casslen, Dr. David Ley, Professor Bo Åkerström

5-10% of all women develop preeclampsia by the second half of gestation. It is one of the most common causes of perinatal and maternal morbidity and mortality. Preeclampsia is characterized by hypertension, edema and proteinuria. The only known curative treatment today is removal of the placenta, i.e. delivery.
Several vasoactive substances have been studied but no single factor has so far been isolated. Studies have shown that the plasma level of monoamines such as serotonin and norepinephrine are significantly increased in preeclamptic patients. Other risk factors have been associated with severe preeclampsia such as nulliparity and a history of preeclampsia, but the etiology of the problem remains unknown.

The general aims of the present study is to investigate the etiology for preeclampsia and intra uterine growth retardation (IUGR) with special focus on monoaminergic mechanisms.
By combining results from doppler screening of the uterine arteries performed in the 18th week of gestation with molecular methodology, we have been able to correlate decreased gene expression of norepinephrine transporter with insufficient utero-placental circulation.
In order to find new potential genes involved in preeclampsia and IUGR we use microarray techniques, which is a powerful method to screen for dysregulated genes.

Preeclampsia and IUGR cannot be detected clinically at early stages of gestation. By looking at the problem from a new view point early pathophysiological mechanisms can be understood. A greater understanding of underlying mechanisms on a specific gene level might in the future help to find women prone to develop preeclampsia and/or IUGR. Earlier detection could potentially lead to more adequate interventions.

Link to project homepage: http://

5 recent original publications

Magnus Centlow, M.Sc.,a Piero Carninci, Ph.D.,b Krisztian Nemeth, M.D.,c Eva Mezey, M.D., Ph.D.,c
Placental expression profiling in preeclampsia:
J. Fertility and Sterility. 2008; : in press

Stefan R. Hansson, Yidong Chen, Jason M. Inman, Olga A. Kozhich, Mei Chen,
Gene profiling of human placenta from preeclamptic and normotensive pregnancies.
Molecular Human Reproduction. 2006; 3: 169-179

B. Bottalico, I.Larsson, B. Casslen, J.Broszki, E. Hernandez-Andrade, K. Marsal, S.R. Hansson
Norepinephrine (NET), Serotonin (SERT), vesicular monoamine (VMAT2) and organic cation transporters (OCT1,2 and EMT) in human placenta from preeclamptic and normotensive pregnancies"
Placenta. 2004; 25(6): 518-529

B. Bottalico, I. Larsson, B. Casslen, K. Marsal and S.R. Hansson
Plasma membrane and vesicular monoamine transporters in cycling endometrium and decidua
Molecular Human Reproduction. 2003; -: -

Nosková, V., Bottalico, B., Olsson, H., Ehingee, A., Pilka, R., Casslén, B.,
Histamine uptake by organic cation transporter (EMT) and
Molecular Human Reproduction. 2006; e-publ:

Further publications here (new window)

Financing/year