Joan Riley

Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-associated complication that affects between 2-10% of all pregnancies and is the leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. The cause of pre-eclampsia is currently unknown however it is thought that placental injury associated with this disorder may be the result of recurrent ischemia and reperfusion (hypoxia and reoxygenation). Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are part of the host innate immune response that are activated by cell stress or cell damage in addition to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). It is documented that certain TLRs are involved in ischemia-reperfusion induced injury in other organ systems such as the heart and liver. We wish to understand the role of TLRs in ischemia-reperfusion induced placental injury associated with pre-eclampsia and identify mechanisms by which TLRs may mediate their effects.