Academic literature on the topic 'Syncytiotrophoblasts'

In eutherians, the placenta acts as a barrier and conduit at the maternal-fetal interface. Syncytiotrophoblasts, the multinucleated cells that cover the placental villous tree surfaces of the human placenta, are directly bathed in maternal blood and are formed by the fusion of progenitor cytotrophoblasts that underlie them. Despite their crucial role in fetal protection, many of the events that govern trophoblast fusion and protection from microbial infection are unknown. We describe a three-dimensional (3D)–based culture model using human JEG-3 trophoblast cells that develop syncytiotrophoblast phenotypes when cocultured with human microvascular endothelial cells. JEG-3 cells cultured in this system exhibit enhanced fusogenic activity and morphological and secretory activities strikingly similar to those of primary human syncytiotrophoblasts. RNASeq analyses extend the observed functional similarities to the transcriptome, where we observed significant overlap between syncytiotrophoblast-specific genes and 3D JEG-3 cultures. Furthermore, JEG-3 cells cultured in 3D are resistant to infection by viruses and Toxoplasma gondii, which mimics the high resistance of syncytiotrophoblasts to microbial infections in vivo. Given that this system is genetically manipulatable, it provides a new platform to dissect the mechanisms involved in syncytiotrophoblast development and microbial resistance.

ABSTRACT Forty percent of women with primary cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections during pregnancy infect their fetuses with complications for the baby varying from mild to severe. How CMV crosses the syncytiotrophoblast, the barrier between maternal blood and fetal tissue in the villous placenta, is unknown. Virus may cross by infection of maternal cells that pass through physical breaches in the syncytiotrophoblast or by direct infection of the syncytiotrophoblast, with subsequent transmission to underlying fetal placental cells. In this study, we show that pure (>99.99%), long-term and healthy (>3 weeks) cultures of syncytiotrophoblasts are permissively infected with CMV. Greater than 99% of infectious progeny virus remained cell associated throughout culture periods up to 3 weeks. Infection of term trophoblasts required a higher virus inoculum, was less efficient, and progressed more slowly than parallel infections of placental and human embryonic lung fibroblasts. Three laboratory strains (AD169, Towne, and Davis) and a clinical isolate from a congenitally infected infant all permissively infected trophoblasts, although infection efficiencies varied. The infection of first trimester syncytiotrophoblasts with strain AD169 occurred at higher frequency and progressed more rapidly than infection of term cells but less efficiently and rapidly than infection of fibroblasts. These results show that villous syncytiotrophoblasts can be permissively infected by CMV but that the infection requires high virus titers and proceeds slowly and that progeny virus remains predominantly cell associated.

Background: Pregnancy is most commonly complicated by Hypertensive disorders. In India, the incidence of gestational hypertension varies from 0.5-1.8%. VEGF is a prime regulator of angiogenesis and overall maintenance of endothelial cell health. This study aims to determine the role of VEGF in placentae of Hypertensive and Normotensive pregnancies by assessing its immunohistochemical expression in Syncytiotrophoblasts. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Pathology in our institute. This is a case-control study which included 50 placentae. Out of which,25 were from Normal mothers and 25 placentae from Hypertensive mothers. Immunohistochemistry for VEGF was performed on tissue section using commercially available monoclonal antibodies. The results were interpreted by evaluating Positivity and Intensity of Immunostaining. Result: Out of 25 Hypertensive placentae, 22 showed Positivity for VEGF immunostaining. Out of 25 Normotensive placentae, 23 showed Negative results for syncytiotrophoblastic staining of VEGF. The difference in VEGF expression in syncytiotrophoblast of hypertensive and normotensive placentae was statistically significant. Conclusion: Hypoxia acts as a potent stimulus for induction of VEGF mRNA in an attempt to normalize fetal blood flow and thus VEGF is increased. This results in the notable increase in immunohistochemical expression of VEGF in the syncytiotrophoblasts of hypertensive placenta.

We assessed the response of primary cultures of placental villous mononucleated trophoblasts and multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast to calcitriol, the most biologically active form of vitamin D. Whole-genome microarray data showed that calcitriol modulates the expression of many genes in trophoblasts within 6 hours of exposure and RT-qPCR revealed similar responses in cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts and villous explants. Both cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts expressed genes for the vitamin D receptor, for LRP2 and CUBN that mediate internalization of calcidiol, forCYP27B1that encodes the enzyme that converts calcidiol into active calcitriol, and forCYP24A1that encodes the enzyme that modifies calcitriol and calcidiol to inactive calcitetrol. Notably, we found an inverse effect of calcitriol on expression of CD14 and CD180/RP105, proteins that differentially regulate toll-like receptor 4-mediated immune responses. Supported by gene ontology analysis, we tested the hypothesis that CD14 and CD180 modulate the inflammatory response of syncytiotrophoblast to bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). These cells showed a robust response to a wide range of LPS concentrations, with induction of active NF-κB and increased secretion of IL-6 and IL-8. SiRNA-mediated knockdown ofCD14reduced the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 in response to LPS. Collectively, our data showed that calcitriol has a rapid and widespread effect on villous trophoblast gene expression in general, and a specific effect on the innate immune response by syncytiotrophoblast.

Placentae from scrapie-affected ewes are an important source of contamination. This study confirmed that scrapie-incubating ewes bearing susceptible genotypes could produce both abnormal prion protein (PrPSc)-positive and -negative placentae, depending only on the PRP genotype of the fetus. The results also provided evidence indicating that scrapie-incubating ARR/VRQ ewes may be unable to accumulate prions in the placenta, whatever the genotype of their progeny. Multinucleated trophoblast cells appeared to play a key role in placental PrPSc accumulation. PrPSc accumulation began in syncytiotrophoblasts before disseminating to uninucleated trophoblasts. As these result from trophoblast/uterine epithelial cell fusion, syncytiotrophoblast cells expressed maternal and fetal PrPC, whilst uninucleated trophoblast cells only expressed fetal PrPC. In ARR/VRQ scrapie-infected ewes, expression of the ARR allele by syncytiotrophoblasts appeared to prevent initiation of PrPSc placental deposition. The absence of prions in affected ARR/VRQ sheep placentae reinforces strongly the interest in ARR selection for scrapie control.

Pre-pregnancy obesity is increasingly common and predisposes pregnant women and offspring to gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, fetal growth abnormalities and stillbirth. Obese women exhibit elevated levels of the two most common dietary fatty acids, palmitate and oleate, and the maternal blood containing these nutrients bathes the surface of trophoblasts of placental villi in vivo. We test the hypothesis that the composition and concentration of free fatty acids modulate viability and function of primary human villous trophoblasts in culture. We found that palmitate increases syncytiotrophoblast death, specifically by caspase-mediated apoptosis, whereas oleate does not cause enhanced cell death. Importantly, exposure to both fatty acids in equimolar amounts yielded no increase in death or apoptosis, suggesting that oleate can protect syncytiotrophoblasts from palmitate-induced death. We further found that palmitate, but not oleate or oleate with palmitate, increases endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, signaling through the unfolded protein response, and yielding CHOP-mediated induction of apoptosis. Finally, we show that oleate or oleate plus palmitate both lead to increased lipid droplets in syncytiotrophoblasts, whereas palmitate does not. The data show palmitate is toxic to human syncytiotrophoblasts, through the induction of ER stress and apoptosis mediated by CHOP, whereas oleate is not toxic, abrogates palmitate toxicity and induces fat accumulation. We speculate that our in vitro results offer pathways by which the metabolic milieu of the obese pregnant woman can yield villous trophoblast dysfunction and sub-optimal placental function.

Hypoxia is commonly assigned a role in the placental dysfunction characteristic of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. We previously showed that hypoxia upregulates p53 and enhances apoptosis in primary cultures of human cytotrophoblasts. Here we tested the hypothesis that hypoxia also induces apoptosis in syncytiotrophoblasts by upregulation of p53. Primary cultures of human cytotrophoblasts that had differentiated into syncytiotrophoblasts by 52 h were exposed for ≤24 h to 20% or <1% oxygen in the presence or absence of staurosporine or the p53 modulators nutlin-3, pifithrin-α, and pifithrin-μ. Proteins were detected by Western blot analysis or immunofluorescence. Compared with 20% oxygen, exposure of syncytiotrophoblasts to <1% oxygen upregulated hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and rapidly downregulated p53. Activity of p53 in hypoxic syncytiotrophoblasts was reduced by the higher expression of the negative p53 regulator MDMX and by the reduction of phosphorylation of p53 at Ser392, which reduces p53 activity. Conversely, staurosporine, a kinase inhibitor, and nutlin-3, a drug that enhances p53 expression, both raised p53 levels and increased the rate of apoptosis in syncytiotrophoblasts compared with vehicle controls. Immunofluorescence staining showed p53 immunolocalized to both cytoplasm and nuclei of nutlin-3-exposed syncytiotrophoblasts. The hypoxia-induced apoptosis in syncytiotrophoblasts correlated with enhanced expression of the proapoptotic BAD and a reduced level of antiapoptotic BAD phosphorylated on Ser112. We surmise that cell death induced by extreme hypoxia in syncytiotrophoblasts follows a non-p53-dependent pathway, unlike that of a nonhypoxic stimulus and unlike hypoxic cytotrophoblasts. We speculate that downregulation of p53 activity in response to hypoxia reduces or eliminates the apoptosis transduced by the p53 pathway in syncytiotrophoblasts, thereby limiting cell death and maintaining the integrity of this critical villous component.

Punicalagin is a prominent polyphenol in pomegranate juice that protects cultured syncytiotrophoblasts from stress-induced apoptosis. Here, we test the hypothesis that punicalagin has this effect by inhibiting the mTOR kinase pathway to enhance autophagic turnover and limit apoptosis in cultured primary human syncytiotrophoblasts. In syncytiotrophoblasts, starvation, rapamycin, or punicalagin all decreased the expression of phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6, a downstream target of the mTOR kinase, and of the autophagy markers, LC3-II and p62. In contrast, in the presence of bafilomycin, an inhibitor of late stages of autophagy and degradation in the autophagolysosome, syncytiotrophoblasts exposed to starvation, rapamycin, or punicalagin all showed increased levels of LC3-II and p62. The number of LC3-II punctae also increased in punicalagin-treated syncytiotrophoblasts exposed to chloroquine, another inhibitor of autophagic degradation, and punicalagin increased the number of lysosomes. The apoptosis-reducing effect of punicalagin was attenuated by inhibition of autophagy using bafilomycin or knockdown of the autophagy related gene,ATG16L1. Collectively, these data support the hypothesis that punicalagin modulates the crosstalk between autophagy and apoptosis to promote survival in cultured syncytiotrophoblasts.

During human fetal development, placental syncytiotrophoblasts actively transport calcium from the maternal to the fetal circulation. Two functional components, a cytosolic Ca2(+)-binding protein (CaBP) and a Ca2(+)-ATPase have been identified in the syncytiotrophoblasts of the chorionic villi. We report here the calcium uptake properties of a human choriocarcinoma cell line, JEG-3, which was used as an in vitro model cell system for the syncytiotrophoblasts. In culture, JEG-3 proliferated as large syncytial aggregates expressing typical syncytiotrophoblast markers. 45Ca uptake by JEG-3 was a substrate- and temperature-dependent, membrane-mediated active process that exhibited linear kinetics for up to 7 min. Both the CaBP and the Ca2(+)-ATPase were expressed by JEG-3, on the basis of biochemical, histochemical, immunochemical and or mRNA assays. Immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization revealed that JEG-3 cells were heterogeneous with respect to the expression of the CaBP. The Ca2(+)-ATPase activity of JEG-3 was similar to the placental enzyme in terms of sensitivity to specific inhibitors, and was detected histochemically along the cell membrane. Fura-2 Ca2+ imaging revealed that calcium uptake by JEG-3 was not accompanied by a concomitant increase in cytosolic [Ca2+], suggesting a specific Ca2+ sequestration mechanism. The involvement of calciotropic hormonal regulation was evaluated by studying the response of JEG-3 to 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3. Calcium uptake was significantly stimulated in a dose-dependent manner by a 24-h treatment of the cells with 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3 (optimal dose approximately 0.5 nM); the CaBP level doubled whereas steady-state CaBP mRNA did not, suggesting that CaBP expression was regulated by 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3. These observations strongly suggest that the JEG-3 human choriocarcinoma cells should serve as a convenient in vitro model system for studying the cellular mechanism and regulation of transplacental calcium transport.

Studies to date have demonstrated epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptors primarily on the outer plasma membrane of the human placental syncytiotrophoblasts facing maternal blood and to a lesser extent on the cytotrophoblast stem cells. In the present studies, first- and third-trimester human placental tissues were immunostained with monoclonal antibodies (MAb) to the EGF binding domain of the human EGF receptor or to the activated (tyrosine-phosphorylated) human EGF receptor. Cytotrophoblasts, syncytiotrophoblasts, and fetal connective tissue cells in first-trimester tissues immunostained with both MAb, with the notable exception of the absence of staining of activated EGF receptor over cytotrophoblast plasma membranes. In contrast, staining of third-trimester placentas with either MAb yielded little to no staining of either trophoblast cell layer but intense staining of fetal connective tissue cells. Staining for EGF receptors over cytotrophoblasts in the first trimester is consistent with the hypothesis that maternal EGF or TGF-alpha derived from the endometrium or placenta may be the mitogen responsible for cytotrophoblast cell division and that the receptors localized to the syncytiotrophoblast are involved in EGF regulation of differentiated function. The absence of heavy staining of activated EGF receptor on trophoblast plasma membranes in third-trimester placentas is consistent with down-regulation of EGF receptor activity.

Placenta is a transient association of the fetal and maternal tissues, that develops during pregnancy, in most viviparous animals. The evolution of placenta ensured the development of the fetus inside the womb of the mother, providing a protected environment for the development of the fetus, and preventing the loss of progeny due to unfavorable environmental conditions. Because it is strategically poised at the maternal and fetal interface, the placenta is ideally suited to carry out alimentary, respiratory and excretory functions for the developing fetus. In addition, it serves as an immunological barrier preventing the rejection of the fetal semi-allograft, by the maternal immune system. Furthermore, the placenta elaborates a variety of protein, polypeptide and steroid hormones. These include growth factors, growth factor receptors, neuropeptides, opioids, progesterone and estrogen, whose secretion is dependent on the gestational age of the placenta and its differentiation status. The human placenta, adapts itself remarkably to cater to the changing requirements of the developing fetus. For instance, during the first trimester of pregnancy, the placenta is an actively dividing, a highly invasive and a rapidly differentiating organ; while near term, it represents a fully differentiated and a non-invasive unit. Furthermore, the placenta of the first trimester and that at term differ in their hormone profiles, extents of apoptosis, expression of several transcription factors, etc. This dramatic change in the phenotype of the human placenta can be considered to be the outcome of an intrinsically programmed pattern of differentiation, which may be referred to as the functional differentiation of the placenta. It may be hypothesized therefore, that this functional differentiation could be brought about by the differential expression of genes in the first trimester and the term placenta. The objectives of the present study were: 1. To gain an insight into this process of " functional differentiation” by investigating the differential expression of genes in the two developmentally distinct stages during gestation, viz. during the first trimester and at term. 2. To understand the functional relevance of the differentially expressed genes. A general introduction of the human placenta, describing the importance of differential expression in modulating placental function, is discussed in chapter 1. The functions of the human placenta along with a brief description of its development and differentiation are also briefly described. A Differential Display RT-PCR-based (DD RT-PCR) approach, using total RNA from the first-trimester and term placental villi, was employed to display the differentially expressed genes in the first trimester and the term placenta. The display so generated was used to identify a few differentially expressed cDNAs. This study was aimed at understanding the functional significance of the transcripts which were identified from the display, rather than just concentrate on documenting the differences in the gene expression patterns in the first trimester and the term placental tissue. A detailed description of the methodology adopted for performing DD-PCR using placental tissue, discussing the advantages and disadvantages of using differential display PCR, is described in chapter2. The use of DD-PCR for studying differential gene expression in the human placenta was validated by the finding that one of the cDNAs that was differentially expressed in the first trimester placental tissue, is a fragment of β-hCG cDNA. It is well documented that the differential expression of the β-subunit of hCG (human chorionic gondatrophin) during the first eight weeks of gestation is the rate limiting step in the synthesis and secretion of the functional hormone, which comprises the α and the β-subunits. Furthermore, the use of the model system viz., the first trimester and term placental tissue, was also validated for carrying out DD-PCR by ensuring that all placental samples used for DD analysis were free of endometrial contamination. A detailed description of optimization and validation of DD-PCR in human placental tissues is given in chapter 2. Cloning and sequencing of yet another cDNA from the first trimester differential display revealed that it is T-Plastin. T-Plastin is a member of a family of proteins that are involved in actin-bundling. Northern blot analysis and immunohistochemical studies using an antibody generated to a peptide corresponding to human T-Plastin, confirmed its differential expression and localization in the first trimester placenta. Considering the fact that several carcinomas show enhanced expression of T-Plastin, we tested the hypothesis that its differential expression is correlated with the proliferative potential of the first-trimester placenta It was observed that the first-trimester tissue expressed high levels of beta-actin as compared to the term placental tissue. This is in agreement with the up-regulation of beta-actin following mitogenic stimulation/proliferation and during neoplastic transformation or transformation-associated invasive behaviour of cells, two characteristic features shared by the early placenta with cancerous tissues. Based on our studies and available information in the literature, it is proposed that T-Plastin expression in the first trimester placenta is a growth-associated phenomenon which is partially responsible for the tumor-like phenotype of the first trimester tissue. Studies carried out with the partial T-Plastin cDNA clone that was isolated from the first trimester differential display, are presented in chapter 3. Sequencing of yet another cDNA clone identified from the term placental differential display, T-18 revealed that it had no homology to any known sequence in the nucleotide or est databases. The sequence corresponding to this clone was submitted to the GenBank and was assigned an accession number- AF089811. The differential expression of T-18 was confirmed by Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR analysis. Attempts were made to isolate the full-length cDNA corresponding to T-18 from a commercially available library from Clontech. However, repeated trials to identify the clone corresponding to T-18 did not yield any positive results. However, a genome database search revealed that T-18 was a portion of a large contig contained in chromosome 15. Analysis of the annotated gene sequences in and around the region in which T-18 is located in chromosome 15, revealed that there are very few ests reported in this contig and quite a few repeat sequences reported. Interestingly, it was observed that 6 kb downstream of the region in which T-18 is located, there was an est that had homology to a Bcl-2 precursor protein (an evolutionarily conserved, anti-apoptotic protein, capable of conferring protection against death-inducing signals) and the death adaptor protein, CRADD {Caspase and RIP adapter with death domain). Further updating of the ests in the database might probably be of help in the identification of the full-length cDNA corresponding to T-18 and confirm as to whether T-18 is a part of the gene/gene cluster that comprises the afore-mentioned est. An account of the identification and cloning of T-18 from the term placenta and the attempts to isolate the full-length cDNA clone corresponding to T-18 from a term placental cDNA library, is described in chapter 4. In the absence of any information on the identity of T-18, a study to understand the functional significance of T-18 expression was carried out. Since it was not possible to carry out studies pertaining to the temporal expression of T-18 throughout gestation on the human placenta for ethical reasons, alternate animal/organ models were employed to study T-18 expression. Rat placenta and rat Corpus Luteum (CL) were chosen as alternate models for studying T-18 expression as these two organs/tissues underwent dynamic changes in their function throughout pregnancy. For instance, it is well known that CL is the primary source of progesterone for maintaining pregnancy in the rat and that the progesterone secreting capacity of the luteal cells peak on day 16 of gestation and decline thereafter. Interestingly, a common feature among all the tissues that were chosen for investigating the regulation of T-18 expression, is the fact that they underwent apoptosis with increase in gestational age. The expression of T-18, in tissues exhibiting increased incidence of apoptosis suggested that T-18 maybe an apoptosis-associated gene. Using an explant culture model it was demonstrated that placental villi when cultured in vitro underwent spontaneous apoptosis and that the levels of T-18 message increased, under these conditions. Furthermore, this spontaneous induction of apoptosis in explant cultures could be blocked when villi were cultured in the presence of superoxide dismutase, a free radical scavenging enzyme. In addition, the expression of T-18 was shown to be modulated following treatment with SOD, or in response to oxidative stress. These studies clearly indicate a role for T-18 in placental apoptosis and moreover, implicate the usefulness of explant culture to examine the molecular mechanisms involved in placental apoptosis. Furthermore, the expression of the anti- and pro-apoptotic genes, bcl-x and bax respectively, were investigated, in an attempt to elucidate the signalling pathway(s) that led to the activation of an important downstream protease, caspase-3, in placental apoptosis. The present study revealed that induction of apoptosis in the placenta in vitro involved a bcl/bax independent, caspase-3 dependant pathway. The validation of an explant culture model for studying placental apoptosis and data pertaining to the role of T-18, bcl-x, bax and CPP32 in placental apoptosis, in response to oxidative stress, are presented in chapter 5. The last section titled general discussion summarizes the work carried out in this study and proposes a model for the apoptotic mechanism(s) that may be operating in placenta In conclusion, the present study has led to the identification of two developmentally-regulated factors, T-Plastin and T-18 in the first trimester and term placenta, respectively. The differential expression of these genes, in addition to several other molecular players, is proposed to be responsible for the overall functional differentiation of the placenta through the course of gestation.

The role of NUMB, a protein important for cellular differentiation and endocytosis in non-placental cells, was investigated in syncytiotrophoblast development and function in the human placenta. The BeWo choriocarcinoma cell line was used as a model for villous cytotrophoblast cells and syncytiotrophoblast to investigate NUMB’s involvement in differentiation and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) endocytosis. NUMB isoforms 1 and 3 were found to be the predominant isoforms and were upregulated following forskolin-induced differentiation. Overexpression of NUMB isoforms 1 and 3 did not mediate differentiation or EGFR signaling. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that NUMB colocalized with EGFR at perinuclear late endosomes and lysosomes following EGF stimulation. We have demonstrated for the first time that NUMB isoforms 1 and 3 are expressed in BeWo cells, are upregulated in forskolin-differentiated BeWo cells and are involved in ligand-dependent EGFR endocytosis in BeWo cells.

Abstract Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is a pattern of anomalies in affected children due to maternal alcohol administration at vulnerable stages of fetal development. Intrauterine growth restriction and facial malformation are the presenting phenotypes of FAS. In this investigation, novel pathomechanisms of intrauterine growth restriction and facial malformation were the primary aims. We found by a FAS mouse model that AceCS1 gene expression and polyamines are the immediate targets of fetal alcohol exposure. The AceCS1 product is a precursor for lipid synthesis and protein acetylation and possibly, for polycation acetylation. We cloned the Mus musculus nuclear-cytosolic AceCS1 gene, and showed that its expression is developmentally regulated with a dynamic localization in the cytosolic and nuclear compartment. The enzyme plays an essential role in de novo synthesis of acetyl Coenzyme A. Fetal alcohol administration targets nutrient supplying networks, which are localized at critical barriers. The main findings were reduced surface of the labyrinthine zone, destruction of gap junctions in the hemotrichorial placenta, reduced syncytiotrophoblastic cell layers and loosening of interaction between cell layers and embryo endothelial cells, reduced Reichert’s membrane thickness with discontinued Reichert’s trophoblast and loss of interaction by Reichert’s-parietal cells, reduction of capillary network and reduced vascularization in the brain area, and perturbed neural crest migration and formation of neural tube defect. Alteration of angiogenesis -regulating proteins such as VEGF, PlGF, PECAM was detected in FAS, with no significant changes in placental angiogenesis of the labyrinthine zone, but up-regulation of VEGF/PlGF caused permeability changes in the placenta and yolk sac. On the other hand, the PECAM pool in embryos’ brain was reduced, which in turn led to decreased angiogenesis and vascularization
Tiivistelmä Sikiön alkoholisyndrooma (engl. Fetal alcohol syndrome, FAS) on joukko muutoksia, joita esiintyy äidin raskaudenaikaisen alkoholin käytön seurauksena, kun käyttö osuu sikiökehityksen kannalta kriittiseen vaiheeseen. Kohdunsisäisen kasvun rajoittuminen ja kasvojen epämuodostumat ovat FAS:n tyypillisimpiä ilmentymiä. Tässä tutkimuksessa pyrittiin löytämään uusia patomekanismeja kohdunsisäisen kasvun rajoittumiselle ja kasvojen epämuodostumille. Hiiren FAS-mallin avulla selvisi, että sikiön altistuminen alkoholille vaikuttaa suoraan AceCS1-geenin ilmentymiseen ja polyamiinien pitoisuuteen. AceCS1-geenin tuote on esiaste lipidien synteesissä ja proteiinien asetylaatiossa sekä mahdollisesti myös polykationien asetylaatiossa. Työssä myös kloonattiin hiiren (Mus musculus) AceCS1-geeni, jonka tuotetta esiintyy sekä tumassa että solulimassa. Lisäksi osoitettiin, että geenin ekspressio oli kehityksen aikana säädelty tuottamaan entsyymiä dynaamisesti eri paikkoihin solussa. Entsyymillä on lisäksi merkittävä osuus asetyyli-koentsyymi-A:n de novo–synteesissä. Sikiön altistuminen alkoholille kohdistuu sellaisten ravintoaineiden saatavuuteen, jotka sijaitsevat kriittisesti tärkeissä kudosrajapinnoissa. Päälöydöksinä olivat vähentynyt labyrinttikudoksen pinta-ala, gap-liitosten tuhoutuminen istukan veriesteessä (hemotrichorial?), ohentunut trofoblastisolujen kerros ja Reichertin kalvon paksuus, harventunut hiusverisuonten verkosto sekä verisuonitus aivojen alueella sekä hermopienan solujen siirtymishäiriö ja hermostoputken sulkeutumishäiriö. Verisuonten muodostumista (angiogeneesiä) säätelevien proteiinien (kuten VEGF, PlGF, PECAM) muutoksia todettiin FAS:ssa, mutta merkittäviä muutoksia ei havaittu istukan verisuonten muodostumisessa. VEGF/PlGF-suhteen suureneminen muutti istukan ja ruskuaispussin verisuonten läpäisevyyttä. Toisaalta sikiöiden aivojen PECAM-määrä pieneni, mikä johti verisuonten ja verisuoniverkoston muodostumisen vähenemiseen

Kisspeptins are a group of neuropeptides with regulatory functions related to puberty, fertility, and reproduction. They are primarily produced by hypothalamic nuclei and are thought to regulate the activity of neurons that produce gonadotropin-releasing hormone. They are also expressed by placental syncytiotrophoblasts in developing pregnancies and are likely involved in the processes of trophoblast invasion and placentation. Similarly to beta-hCG, kisspeptins are found in maternal plasma during the first trimester of pregnancy and increase proportionately with gestational age. Because of their role in implantation, there is currently interest in the use of kisspeptins as minimally invasive biomarkers. It is suspected that maternal kisspeptin levels have diagnostic potential in identifying viable early pregnancies.

Thrombomodulin(TM) is a cell surface protein found on endothelial cell that binds thrombin and increases thrombin's ability to activate protein C(PC). In the present study, we examined hematological characteristics and behavior of plasma PC level in pregnant women and localization of TM in the placental villous tissue. The results obtained are reported here. Cubital venous blood of 20 normal pregnants, 8 purperants and 60 non-pregnants. PC antigen(PC:Ag) was measured by the Laurell's technique using Assera plate-proteinC. Localization of TM was determined in such a way that the villous tissue was fixed in formalin, cut into paraffin sections, and stained by ABC method using anti-TM antibody. Coagulation-related factors of the pregnant blood, i.e. fibrinogen, FV, FVIII, FX, FXII and prekallikren showed statistically higher values compared with the control group, and AT-III showed almost simillar value to the control group or tended to decrease to scxne extent compared therewith. As for fibrinolysis-related factors, on the other hand, plasminogen, α1-antitripsin showed higher values with the progress of pregnancy, and α2-macro_ globulin showed slightly lower values in both 3rd trimester and puerperal stage. PC:Ag increased in the 2nd and 3rd trimester (p<0.01). Comparative examinations made of PC:Ag level between pre- and post-taking oral centraceptives revealed a significant (p<0.05) decrease frcm 131.0%( pre-taking) to 117.0%(post-taking). At the 11th week of pregnancy, TM was confirmed to be highly localized in syncytiotrophoblast in the villous tissue, especially in microvilli. At the 40th week, TM was also confirmed in the same site, but with weaker stainability. It was suggested that thrombosis and hemostasis-related factors were in a state of co-existing overproduction and consumption. Moreover we supposed that the existence of TM and the increase in PC might be just appropriate for the maintenance of anti-thrombogenesis in the uteroplacental circulation.

Human von Willebrand factor (vWF) is a plasma glycoprotein that is synthesized by endothelial cells and megakaryocytes, and perhaps by syncytiotrophoblast of placenta. The biosynthesis of vWF is very complex, involving proteolytic processing, glycosyla-tion, disulfide bond formation, and sulfation. Mature vWF consists of a single subunit of ∼ 250,000 daltons that is assembled into multimer ranging from dimers to species of over 10 million daltons. vWF performs its essential hemostatic function through several binding interactions, forming a bridge between specific receptors on the platelet surface and components of damaged vascular subendothelial connective tissue. Inherited deficiency of vWF, or von Willebrand disease (vWD), is the most common genetically transmitted bleeding disorder worldwide. The last two years has been a time of very rapid progress in understanding the molecular biology of vWF. Four research groups have independently isolated and sequenced the 9 kilobase full-length vWF cDNA. The predicted protein sequence has provided a foundation for understanding the biosynthetic processing of vWF, and has clarified the relationship between vWF and a 75-100 kilodalton plasma protein of unknown function, von Willebrand antigen II (vWAgll)/ vWAgll is co-distributed with vWF in endothelial cells and platelets, and is deficient in patients with vWD. The cDNA sequence of vWF shows that vWAgll is a rather large pro-peptide for vWF, explaining the biochemical and genetic association between the two proteins. vWF has a complex evolutionary history marked by many separate gene segment duplications. The primary structure of the protein contains four distinct types of repeated domains present in two to four copies each. Repeated domains account for over 90 percent of the protein sequence. This sequence provides a framework for ordering the functional domains that have been defined by protein chemistry methods. A tryptic peptide from the amino-terminus of vWF that overlaps domain D3 binds to factor VIII and also appears to bind to heparin. Peptides that include domain A1 bind to collagens, to heparin, and to platelet glycoprotein Ib. A second collagen binding site appears to lie within domain A3. The vWF cDNA has been expressed in heterologous cells to produce small amounts of functionally and structurally normal vWF, indicating that endothelial cells are not unique in their ability to process and assemble vWF multimers. Site-directed mutagenesis has been used to show that deletion of the propeptide of vWF prevents the formation of multimers. Cloned cDNA probes have been employed to isolate vWF genomic DNA from cosmid and λ-phage libraries, and the size of the vWF gene appears to be ∼ 150 kilobases. The vWF locus has been localized to human chromosome 12p12—pter. Several intragenic RFLPs have been characterized. With them, vWF has been placed on the human genetic linkage map as the most telomeric marker currently available for the short arm of chromosome 12. A second apparently homologous locus has been identified on chromosome 22, but the relationship of this locus to the authentic vWF gene is not yet known. The mechanism of vWD has been studied by Southern blotting of genomic DNA with cDNA probes in a few patients. Three unrelated pedigrees have been shown to have total deletions of the vWF gene as the cause of severe vWD (type III). This form of gene deletion appears to predispose to the development of inhibitory alloantibodies to vWF during therapy with cryoprecipitate. During the next several years recombinant DNA methods will continue to contribute our understanding of the evolution, biosynthesis, and structure-function relationships of vWF, as well as the mechanism of additional variants of vWD at the level of gene structure.