New Models of Pregnancy-Associated Hypertension

Pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders are leading causes of maternal and fetal mortality. These include: pre-pregnancy hypertension that persists throughout gestation (chronic/preexisting hypertension), de novo hypertension that is diagnosed after 20 weeks of gestation and resolves after birth (gestational hypertension), de novo hypertension that is diagnosed after 20 weeks of gestation with or without proteinuria and end-organ damage (preeclampsia and eclampsia), and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia during gestation. Preeclampsia is the most severe form of these disorders. Animal models have been developed by employing surgical, genetic, and pharmacological approaches in order to recapitulate the maternal symptoms of preeclampsia and other hypertensive disorders of pregnancy. The scope of this brief review is to present an up-to-date synthesis of our knowledge of experimental models of pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders. Novel models, defined in this review as characterized within the last 5 years, will be described and critically discussed. In this review, we will also discuss established experimental models of pregnancy-associated hypertensive disorders in the context of their contribution to new advances in our knowledge about the pathophysiology of these disorders and potential therapeutics. Emphasis will be placed on animal models of preeclampsia; however, models of other hypertensive disorders in pregnancy will also be reviewed.