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Recording available 2/16-5/2

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Poster Session 2

Category: Hypertension

Poster Session 2

(602) Targeting (Pro)Renin and Its Receptor: A Potential Biomarker and Therapeutic Approach for Preeclampsia

Wednesday, February 11, 2026

3:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Submitting Author and Presenting Author(s)

Michelle N. Harris, MD

Resident Physician
Baylor Scott & White Health - Baylor College of Medicine
Temple, Texas, United States

Coauthor(s)

AA

Ashleigh Aubin, MD

Baylor Scott and White Health
Temple, Texas, United States
KK

Kelsey R. Kelso, MD

Residency Program Director
Baylor Scott & White Health - Baylor College of Medicine
Temple, Texas, United States
DV

Diana Villazana-Kretzer, DO

Staff Maternal Fetal Medicine Physician
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center
Temple, Texas, United States
JE

Jessica C. Ehrig, MD

Medical Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center-Temple
Temple, Texas, United States
RK

Ram R. Kalagiri, MD

NICU Physician
Baylor Scott and White Health
Te, Texas, United States
NV

Niraj Vora, MD

Division Chief/Medical Director, Division of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center
Temple, Texas, United States
MU

Mohammad N. Uddin, PhD

Director of Research for OB/GYN Residency Program
Texas A&M Health University College of Medicine
Temple, Texas, United States
AP

Ahmed Pantho

Orion Institute for Translational Medicine
Temple, Texas, United States
TK

Thomas Kuehl, MD

Texas A&M College of Medicine
Bryan, Texas, United States

Objective:

While the etiology of Pre-eclampsia (PreE) is unclear, the renin-angiotensin system has been implicated. Previous studies found high circulating levels of (pro)renin ((P)R) and soluble (pro)renin receptor (s(P)RR) in patients with PreE, highlighting potential as biomarkers. Increased placental (P)RR was found in patients with preE and in a rat model of PreE. A peptide mimicking the (P)RR Handle Region (HRP) attenuated preE effects on blood pressure (BP), urinary protein (UP), number of pups, and number of normal pups.

Our goal was to evaluate (P)R and s(P)RR trends in PreE patients to understand biomarker utility and detection timing. We aimed to understand the dose-dependent effects of HRP fusion protein (HRP-Fc) on outcomes in PreE model rats.

Study Design:
Pregnant rats were assigned to three groups: 1) Normal Pregnant (NP), 2) PDS, in which the rats were given saline to drink and injected with desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) to induce hypertension, and 3) PDS-HRP, DOCA rats given high (HRP-Fc-Hi), medium (HRP-Fc-Med), or low doses (HRP-Fc-Lo) of HRP-Fc. BP, UP, total pups, and number of anormal pups were measured. Results are shown in Table 1. 76 women were recruited in the first trimester. Serum PR and s(P)RR were analyzed at four time points throughout pregnancy. Serum levels of (P)R and s(P)RR in the 21 patients who developed PreE were compared to levels in those who did not. Results are shown in Table 2.

Results:
The HRP-Fc normalized BP, UP, total pups, and number of abnormal pups in the DOCA rats in a dose-dependent manner, with high-dose HRP-Fc most effective. There was a statistically significant increase in (P)R and s(P)RR in PreE women with most significant rise in the second trimester.

Conclusion:
These data suggest a role of (P)R and the RAS cascade in the development of PreE. Elevated (P)R and s(P)RR in women with PreE suggest its utility as a serum biomarker for the disease. Attenuation of PreE effects by the HRP-Fc suggests its use as a therapeutic agent, and higher doses were more effective than lower doses.