Role of Corin in Neuro‐Circulatory and Renal‐Adrenal Control during Pregnancy in Humans
Authors: Badrov Mark B. , Park Sunyoung , Yoo Jeung‐Ki , Hieda Michinari , Okada Yoshiyuki , Jarvis Sara S. , Stickford Abigail S. , Best Stuart A. , Fu Qi 
Published: June 2021

Corin (an atrial natriuretic peptide converting enzyme) represents a key regulator of cardiovascular and renal function through its influence on blood pressure (BP) and salt‐water balance, respectively. Recently, corin has been identified as a potential contributor to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. However, the role of corin in BP regulation and renal function during pregnancy remains uncertain. Therefore, the objective of the current study was to investigate the role played by corin in the neuro‐circulatory adjustments and renal‐adrenal response during pregnancy. We evaluated prospectively, in 30 healthy women [30±4 (SD) yrs, 164±5 cm, 65±20 kg], BP (Suntech), heart rate (HR; electrocardiogram), and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; microneurography) prior‐to pregnancy (mid‐luteal phase), during early‐(6.8±1.2 wks gestation) and late‐ (33.7±2.1 wks gestation) pregnancy, and post‐partum (8.3±1.2 wks post‐delivery). Venous blood samples were taken for the measurement of maternal serum corin content (ELISA) and direct renin (radio‐immunoassay) and aldosterone concentrations (chemiluminescent immunoassay). All women had singleton, full‐term pregnancies. Compared to pre‐pregnancy (1312±367 pg/mL), corin levels remained unchanged during early‐pregnancy (1368±351 pg/mL; P>0.05), increased markedly during late‐pregnancy (2046±651 pg/mL; P<0.001), and returned to pre‐pregnancy levels following delivery (1265±315 pg/mL; P>0.05). During early‐ and late‐pregnancy, corin content was related moderately to mean arterial BP (R=0.510; P<0.001). Similarly, corin levels were related, albeit modestly, to MSNA burst frequency (R=0.357; P<0.01) and burst incidence (R=0.338; P=0.01), as well as direct renin (R=0.374; P<0.05) and aldosterone (R=0.319; P<0.05) concentrations. In a subset of eight women who developed gestational hypertensive disorders during their pregnancies, the change in corin levels from early‐ to late‐pregnancy tended to be greater than in those with normotensive pregnancies, although considerable individual variability existed (Δ 974±706 vs. Δ 493±457 pg/mL; P=0.06). Throughout pregnancy, mean arterial BP was greater in women with hypertensive pregnancies (Pre: 79±4; Early: 76±6; Late: 81±7; Post: 77±4 mmHg) compared to those with normotensive pregnancies (Pre: 77±4; Early: 71±5; Late: 76±6; Post: 74±4 mmHg; P<0.01 for group). Similarly, MSNA burst frequency was greater in women with hypertensive pregnancies (Pre: 18±5; Early: 23±12; Late: 28±13; Post: 13±13 bursts/min) than in those with normotensive pregnancies (Pre: 10±6; Early: 14±9; Late: 22±14; Post: 9±7 bursts/min; P<0.05 for group). In conclusion, corin increases during late pregnancy and appears to be moderately associated with BP regulation. Whether corin represents a key regulator of neuro‐circulatory control and renal‐adrenal responses during pregnancy, or plays a unique role in the development of gestational hypertensive disorders, remains uncertain but represents a novel target for future investigation.Support or Funding InformationNIH R21 (HLO88184); AHA Grant‐in‐Aid award (13GRNT16990064); Harry S. Moss Heart TrustThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.