Effects of Ghrelin on Plasminogen Activator Activity in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

Ghrelin and its growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR) have been found in the placenta, both in endothelial and trophoblast cells. Ghrelin has been shown to decrease blood pressure in several systems and improve endothelial function by stimulating VEGF production. Because locally increased Ghrelin was detected in the preeclamptic fetoplacental unit, we hypothesized its involvement in the fibrinolysis and vascular tone typically observed in preeclamptic patients. This study aimed to evaluate the synthesis of plasminogen activators (PAs), PA inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and urokinase-type PA (uPA) receptor (uPAR) in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) since the components of the PA/plasmin system are vital players in the extracellular matrix remodeling process necessary for angiogenesis. HUVECs were treated for 24 h with increasing concentrations of Ghrelin (10−11–10−7 M) or IL-1β (0.1 ng/mL). PAs, PAI-1, and uPAR mRNAs were determined by real-time PCR and PA activity was determined by casein underlay. We demonstrated an increase in uPA, tissue-type PA (tPA), and uPAR mRNA; a reduction in PAI-1 mRNA in HUVECs treated with Ghrelin; and an increase in total uPA activity. In conclusion, our results suggest a potential compensatory physiological mechanism for Ghrelin in response to the maternal endothelial dysfunction observed in the preeclamptic fetoplacental unit.