# Apelin receptor axis and long-term consequences of preeclampsia

> **NIH NIH R21** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2024 · $232,500

## Abstract

Summary
Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that occurs in 5-7% of all pregnancies. Women
exposed to PE are more likely to develop cardiovascular and subclinical cerebrovascular events later in life.
Recent studies suggest an alarming trend that women with a history of PE often experience pronounced
subjective cognitive and psychological dysfunction that significantly alters their quality of life. Although the exact
mechanisms of this subclinical disease are not well understood, endothelial dysfunction and inflammation are
implicated in the pathogenesis of the cerebrovascular and cognitive syndrome after PE. The apelinergic system,
consisting of apelin, elabela (ELA), and the apelin receptor (APJ), is a novel therapeutic pathway in
preeclampsia. Our studies demonstrated that apelin has anti-hypertensive and reno-protective effects. However,
apelin also reduces brain edema, inflammation and oxidative stress in models of transient model of focal cerebral
ischemia, ischemia-reperfusion, and stroke suggesting its potential as neuroprotector. Studies proposed in this
application are based on the clinical evidence suggesting a link between preeclampsia and vascular dementia-
like syndrome experienced by women years after the exposure to PE. Our studies will establish the
neuroprotective actions of apelinergic axis on long-term cerebrovascular consequences of preeclampsia. The
established and well-characterized models of normal pregnancy and preeclampsia are readily available in our
laboratory and will be used for this project. These studies will improve our understanding of the protective role
of apelin/APJ axis in preeclampsia.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10790945
- **Project number:** 1R21HD114073-01
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Liliya M Yamaleyeva
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $232,500
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-13 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10790945

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10790945, Apelin receptor axis and long-term consequences of preeclampsia (1R21HD114073-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10790945. Licensed CC0.

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