Exposure to DEP Modifies the Human Umbilical Artery Vascular Resistance Contributing to Hypertension in Pregnancy

Hypertensive disorders in pregnancy (HDP) are the most prevalent diseases during pregnancy. In addition to the already identified risk factors, exposure to environmental contaminants has been also considered a new one. Phthalates, which are classified as priority environmental pollutants due to their ubiquitousness and endocrine disrupting properties, have been implicated in HDP in some epidemiological studies. Nevertheless, phthalates' vascular impacts still need to be clarified. Thus, we aimed to understand the connection between phthalates exposure and the occurrence of gestational hypertension, as well as the pathway involved in the pathological vascular effects. We investigated diethyl phthalate's (DEP) effect on the vascular reactivity of the human umbilical arteries (HUAs) from normotensive and hypertensive pregnant women. Both DEP's nongenomic (within minutes effect) and genomic (24 h exposure to DEP) actions were evaluated, as well as the contribution of cyclic guanosine monophosphate and Ca