Wright State researchers find extracellular vesicles may drive preeclampsia

Extracellular Vesicles Drive Early-Onset Preeclampsia

It was so exciting, Thomas L. Brown said after laboratory tests showed that reducing circulating extracellular particle levels restored normal blood vessel function.

Researchers at Wright State University have identified what may drive severe early-onset preeclampsia and a potential non-medication treatment, medicalxpress.com reported on November 7, 2026. The condition affects pregnant women as early as 20 weeks, causing soaring blood pressure and severe risks for both mother and infant.

Key Clinical Takeaways:
• Women with severe early-onset preeclampsia exhibit significantly higher levels of circulating extracellular vesicles compared to healthy pregnancies.
• Laboratory experiments revealed that high vesicle concentrations impaired blood vessel formation regardless of source, while a tenfold reduction of patient-derived vesicles restored normal endothelial cell activity.
• Researchers are investigating blood-filtering methods to lower vesicle counts rather than administering medications during pregnancy.

Cellular Clues in Placental Pathology

Preeclampsia develops within the placenta and remains a leading cause of maternal and infant illness and death worldwide. For more than two millennia, the underlying mechanism has eluded clinicians. Brown, a professor in the Department of Neuroscience, Cell Biology and Physiology and professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Wright State, led a team to investigate the role of extracellular vesicles—tiny particles shed by cells.

The findings were published in Hypertension. The study tested whether those particles directly caused endothelial cell dysfunction in cultured endothelial cells. High vesicle concentrations impaired vessel formation regardless of source.

Dose-Dependent Vessel Dysfunction

The experiments demonstrated that particle concentration, rather than the source of the vesicles, dictated the pathological response. Elevating vesicle counts to match preeclamptic levels triggered identical blood vessel impairment. Conversely, a tenfold reduction of vesicles sourced from severe preeclamptic patients successfully restored normal endothelial function in the laboratory setting.

Because medications during pregnancy carry potential risks to the fetus, Brown and his laboratory are pursuing non-pharmacological interventions. The team aims to develop early-stage methods to physically remove excess vesicles from patient blood, targeting an extension of pregnancies past 34 weeks where clinical outcomes improve significantly.

Disclaimer: The Information Provided in This Article Is for Educat

The research depends on a close partnership with clinicians. Brown’s lab in the Visal Soin Center for Innovation serves as a training ground for this work, bringing students at every level into research that bridges basic science and patient care.

Scout Bowman-Gibson, a dual M.D./Ph.D. student in Wright State’s Boonshoft School of Medicine who drove the project forward and based her doctoral dissertation on the extracellular vesicles study, was drawn to preeclampsia research because so much is still unknown about the condition.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and scientific communication purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.