Fermitin family homolog-2 (FERMT2) is highly expressed in human placental villi and modulates trophoblast invasion.
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ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Integrins are transmembrane receptors that mediate cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) and cell-cell adhesion and trophoblast cells undergo changes in integrin expression as they differentiate. However, the mechanism(s) of integrin activation leading to integrin-mediated signaling in trophoblast cell differentiation is unknown. The Fermitin family proteins are integrin activators that help mediate integrin-mediated signaling, but have never been studied in detail within the human placenta. Thus, we examined the spatiotemporal pattern of expression of Fermitin family homolog-2 (FERMT2) in human chorionic villi throughout gestation and its role in trophoblast-substrate adhesion and invasion. METHODS:Placental villous tissue was obtained from patients undergoing elective terminations by dilatation and curettage at weeks 8-12 (n =?10), weeks 13-14 (n =?8), as well as from term deliveries at weeks 37-40 (n =?6). Tissues were fixed, processed and sections utilized for immunofluorescence analysis of FERMT2 expression during gestation. Additionally, HTR8-SVneo human trophoblast cells were transfected by electroporation with FERMT2-specific siRNAs or non-targeting siRNAs (control) and used in cell-substrate adhesion as well as invasion assays. RESULTS:FERMT2 was more commonly expressed in the basal domain of villous cytotrophoblast cells and prominently localized around the periphery of individual extravillous trophoblast cells. siRNA-mediated knockdown of FERMT2 in HTR8-SVneo cells resulted in significantly decreased trophoblast-substrate attachment (p
SUBMITTER: Kawamura E
PROVIDER: S-EPMC6211606 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Nov
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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