FAK regulates trophoblast functions of invasion and proliferation through Rap1 pathway in preeclampsia

To explore the potential role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) in trophoblast functions in early-onset preeclampsia (EOPE).We first examined expression and localization in placental tissue as well as in villus tissue during early pregnancy. Then, FAK activity was inhibited with Y15. The effects of FAK on the invasion and proliferation of trophoblast cells (HTR8/SVneo) were investigated. Transcriptomic and bioinformatics analyses were then used to predict the possible pathways by which FAK is involved in PE. Finally, we measured the expression of FAK in a PE mouse model. Transcriptomic and bioinformatics results suggest that Rap1 may be a downstream regulator of trophoblast FAK. In mouse models, we found reduced expression of FAK and Rap1 in the placenta of PE mice. To further investigate the potential function of FAK in trophoblast cells, we treated the human choriotrophoblast cells HTR-8/SVneo with the specific pY397 autophosphorylation inhibitor Y15, with 3 replicates each in the control and treatment groups.