Fig. 3

Assessing the index of spiral artery remodeling in pregnant women and A2M-overexpression rats. a Schematic illustration of PE establishment due to failure of spiral artery remodeling. b, c Determination of the values of umbilical artery PI (b) and RI (c) in the normal and PE groups during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. d–g Determination of the levels of Lt ut-PI (d), Rt ut-PI (e), Lt ut-RI (f), and Rt ut-RI (g) in the normal and PE groups during the first, secondary, and third trimesters of pregnancy. h, h1–h2 Representative ultrasonography of rat uterine spiral artery from control and A2M-overexpression rats (h), and h1–h2 show the quantitative analysis of Lt ut-PI (h1) and Lt ut-RI (h2) from the above groups. i, i1–i2 α-SMA immunohistochemical analysis of cross-sections of spiral arteries from the control and A2M-overexpression groups (i). i1 is the quantitative analysis of α-SMA expression, and i2 is the ratio of un-remodeled spiral arteries per field in the two groups. j, j1 Western blotting data showing the level of α-SMA in the decidua basalis (j) and j1 is the quantitative analysis of α-SMA expression in the control and A2M-overexpressing groups. Scale bars = 100 μm in i. Abbreviations: PI, pulsatility index; RI, resistive index; Lt ut, left uterine artery; Rt ut, right uterine artery. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001