Effect of Lactation on Postpartum Cardiac Function of Pregnancy-Associated Hypertensive Mice

Preeclampsia is a serious complication during pregnancy, and recent epidemiological studies indicate the association between preeclampsia and cardiac morbidity and mortality during the postpartum period. Although the risk of cardiovascular diseases in the postpartum period is affected by lactation, its role in maternal heart with a history of preeclampsia remains unclear. In this study, we investigated postpartum change in cardiac remodeling and function of pregnancy-associated hypertensive (PAH) mice with and without lactation. The systolic blood pressure was increased in PAH mice at day 19 of gestation (E19) and was reduced to normal levels in both lactating and nonlactating (NL) groups in the postpartum period. Histological analyses revealed that cardiac hypertrophy and macrophage infiltration in PAH mice at E19 were improved in both lactating and NL groups at 4 weeks postpartum (4W-PP), while marked fibrosis remained. Increased mRNA expression of profibrotic genes and proinflammatory cytokines in PAH ...