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Background Pre-eclampsia affects approximately 2–8% of pregnant women, causing proteinuria and blood pressure above 140 × 90 mmHg after the 20th week of gestation. If left untreated, PE can lead to the occurrence of self-sustained seizures (Eclampsia) that could eventually evolve to coma, and death of the mother and fetus. In the present study, an experimental model of hypertension was induced in pregnant rats that, later, received a seizure-trigger injection of pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) aiming to mimetize the eclampsia clinical picture. Methods Wistar rats were divided into four groups: non-pregnant (NP), pregnant (P), hypertensive (H) and pregnant hypertensive (HP). Hypertension (H and HP) was induced via clipping of the left renal artery. Subsequently, all animals were injected with PTZ and behavioral and electroencephalographic (EEG) changes were recorded. Results In opposition to control animals (NP and P), those from the H and HP groups presented a steady increase in BP that was first noticed two weeks after the renal artery clipping. PTZ injection at pregnancy days 18, 19 and 20 was able to induce behavioral and electrographic seizures in all groups although the number and the duration of each fit were higher in HP animals when compared to other groups. Besides, EEG analysis revealed that signal power and amplitude during the seizure events were significantly higher in the HP group. Conclusion Renal artery clipping in pregnant female rats was able to induce signs similar to those observed in preeclampsia. Besides, PTZ administration was able to induce behavioral and electrographic seizures significantly more intense in the HP group than those observed in the control groups (NP, P, H). |
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