Preeclampsia complicates more than 3% of all pregnancies in the United States and Europe. High-risk populations include women with diabetes, dyslipidemia, thrombotic disorders, hyperhomocysteinemia, hypertension, renal diseases, previous preeclampsia, twin pregnancies, and low socioeconomic status. In the latter case, the incidence may increase to 20% to 25%. Preeclampsia is a major cause of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Preeclampsia is defined by systolic blood pressure of more than 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure of more than 90 mm Hg after 20 weeks gestation in a previously normotensive patient, and new-onset proteinuria. Abnormal placentation associated with shallow trophoblast invasion (fetal cells from outer cell layer of the blastocyst) into endometrium (decidua) and improper spiral artery remodeling in the decidua are initial pathological steps. In this study we analyzed the renin-angiotensin system in adipose tissue, decidua and placenta from women with uneventful pregnancy and women with preeclampsia. We also analyzed the tissue by Affymetrix chips in a comparison study (control vs. preeclampsia)

6 affymetrix human expression chips (GPL570) were analyzed.They represent 3 tissues (pooled from 10 individuals each) from patients with preeclampsia and from patients with uneventful pregnancy (collected by cesaraen section). Tissues from patients with uneventful pregnancy are the controls in comparison to tissues of patients with preeclampsia.