Placental cytotrophoblast microvillar stabilization is required for cell-cell fusion
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE279087 | GEO | 2025/03/26
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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2021-10-02 | E-MTAB-9526 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:A functional placental barrier is crucial for the supply of the embryo or foetus throughout pregnancy. It is formed by the syncytiotrophoblast, which develops via fusion of cytotrophoblast cells. How this “differentiation-by-fusion” is regulated is only partially understood. Here we analysed transcriptome changes during in vitro cytotrophoblast fusion. Pathway analyses yielded the tumor suppressor p53 as upstream negative regulator and indicated an upregulation of autophagy-related genes. We further showed that, during differentiation, p53 is downregulated on the mRNA and protein levels, while the autophagy marker LC3B-II (lipidated LC3B) is increased. In first-trimester placentae, we find reciprocal expression patterns of p53 and LC3B, with p53 expression primarily in cytotrophoblasts and predominant LC3B expression in the apical side of the syncytiotrophoblast layer. Furthermore, in the syncytiotrophoblast, we could show increased autophagic flux, which is alleviated by ectopically overexpression of p53. This was also shown in placental explants treated with a pharmacological p53 activator. On the contrary, in a fusion-deficient trophoblast cell line we could not see an interdependency of p53 and LC3B lipidation. In summary our data suggests, that the downregulation of p53 during syncytialization is a prerequisite for the activation of autophagy in the placental barrier.
2017-10-10 | GSE98523 | GEO
Project description:In most mammalian species, a critical step of placental development is the fusion of trophoblast cell into a multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast layer, which separates the fetal and maternal blood circulations. Advancement in understanding this process came from the identification of two pairs of envelope genes of retroviral origin, independently acquired by the human (syncytin-1 and M-^V2) and mouse (syncytin-A and M-^VB) genomes, specifically expressed in the placenta and with in vitro cell-cell fusion activity. We previously showed that syncytin-A is involved in the formation of one of the two syncytiotrophoblast layer of the mouse placenta -ST-I , facing the maternal lacuna- with syncytin-A null embryos dying at mid-gestation, and their placenta disclosing impaired formation of the ST-I layer. Here by generating syncytin-B KO mice, we demonstrated that syncytin-B null placenta have defects in formation of the syncytiotrophoblast layer-II facing the fetal blood vessels, with refined electron microscopy analyses showing evidence of unfused apposed cells. Lack of trophoblast fusion is associated with signs of trophoblast degeneration and with formation of huge maternal blood lacuna, ultimately disrupting the architecture of the labyrinth layer. These alterations did not result in complete abortion of syncytin-B null embryos, at variance with the syncytin-A KO phenotype, but in a reduced proportion of homozygous syncytin-B knockout individuals at birth, with evidence of late-onset embryonic growth retardation. Double knockout mice experiments demonstrate a premature death of syncytin-A null embryos if syncytin-B is deleted, thus strongly suggesting cooperative involvement of both syncytiotrophoblast layer-I and layer-II for the structural and functional integrity of the maternofetal interface and exchanges. Finally, a microarray analysis of wild-type and syncytin-B null placenta transcripts disclosed alterations in gene expression level for only a very limited number of genes, with the largest change (a 7-fold induction in the syncytin-B null placenta) observed for the connexin-30 gene. Immunohistochemistry further localized the connexin-30 protein in the labyrinth zone of mutant placenta, at the level of the fetomaternal interface. It is proposed that this might correspond to a compensatory process whereby disruption of syncytialization in syncytin-B knockout placenta is counteracted by an enhanced, gap junction mediated, cell-cell communication. These data demonstrate that syncytin-B is required for ST-II syncytial differentiation and the functional integrity of the labyrinth. Altogether, these findings definitively demonstrate that the two endogenous retroviral syncytin-A and -B Env genes contribute independently to the formation of the two syncytiotrophoblast layers during placenta formation, and provide additional insights into the subtle mechanisms of syncytiotrophoblast differentiation in the mouse. Experimental design: Placenta RNA of embryos homozygous for the syncytin-B deletion (SynB-/-) were compared to placental RNA of wild-type embryos (SynB+/+) of the same litter. Two stages of gestation, day 12 and d14, were analyzed. At day 12, 3 litters were obtained; for two of them, the RNAs were analyzed individually, and for the third one, placenta RNAs of the wild-type genotype were pooled. At day 14, one litter was obtained; RNA samples with the same genotype were pooled
2011-10-19 | E-TABM-1188 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:TFEB, a bHLH-leucine zipper transcription factor belonging to the MiT/TFE family, is a renowned global modulator of cell metabolism by regulating autophagy and lysosomal functions. Remarkably, loss of TFEB in mice causes embryonic lethality due to severe defects in placentation associated with aberrant vascularization and resulting hypoxia. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the described phenotype has yet to be elucidated. By integrating multi-omics approaches with functional assays, we uncover an unprecedented function for TFEB in promoting the formation of a functional syncytiotrophoblast in the placenta. Here, we showed that syncytiotrophoblast formation is marked by TFEB nuclear translocation and its association with the promoters of crucial placental genes, including fusogenic proteins (Syncytin-1 and Syncythin-2) and enzymes involved in the steroidogenic pathway, such as CYP19A1, the rate-limiting enzyme for the synthesis of 17β-Estradiol (E2). Conversely, the depletion of TFEB negatively impacts both the syncytial fusion and the endocrine properties of the syncytiotrophoblast, as demonstrated by a significant decrease in the secretion of placenta hormones and E2 production. Notably, the restoration of TFEB expression resets the syncytiotrophoblast identity. Finally, we identified reduced expression levels of TFEB and its target CYP19A1 in the placenta of pre-eclampsia women, suggesting that dysregulation of the TFEB-CYP19A1 axis might underlie the impairment of placental steroidogenesis described in pre-eclampsia. Our findings elect TFEB as a central controller of the metabolic properties of the placenta by orchestrating both the transcriptional program underlying trophoblast fusion and the acquisition of endocrine function, which are crucial for the bioenergetic requirements of embryonic development.
2024-09-05 | GSE260620 | GEO
Project description:We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis of human post-implantation trophoblast cells. A hierarchical model was established, which was characterized by the sequential and stepwise development of two primitive cytotrophoblast cell (pCTB) subtypes after the trophectoderm (TE), two primitive syncytiotrophoblast (pSTB) subtypes, and migrative trophoblast cells (MTB). Further analysis characterized a new subtype of fusion-competent cells, which not only prepare for fusion to form primitive syncytiotrophoblast but also possess migration ability, which could be dual-function cells during implantation. Our work allows for reconstruction of sequential trophoblast cell transcriptional programs transition during implantation and provides a valuable resource to study pathologies in early pregnancy, such as recurrent implantation failure.
2022-07-07 | GSE156456 | GEO
Project description:The mechanisms by which the placenta adapts to exogenous stimuli to create a stable and healthy environment for the growing fetus are not well known. Low oxygen tension and sub-optimal vitamin D levels influence placental function and both are associated with preeclampsia, a condition associated with altered development of placental trophoblast. We hypothesized that oxygen tension, vitamin D levels, or both affect villous trophoblast by modulation of gene expression through DNA methylation. To test this we used the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip array to compare the DNA methylation profile of primary cultures of human cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts under three oxygen tensions and three vitamin D levels. We found no effect on global DNA methylation by either treatment, but a limited set of loci became hypermethylated in cytotrophoblasts exposed for 24 hours to 1% oxygen, as compared to the same cells exposed to 8% or 20% oxygen. Vitamin D levels had no detectable effect on methylation profiles in either trophoblast type. Hypermethylation with low oxygen tension was independently confirmed by bisulfite-pyrosequencing in a subset of functionally important genes including CP, ITGA5, SOD2, XDH and ZNF2. Intriguingly, 70 out of the 147 hypoxia-associated CpGs, overlapped with CpG sites that become hypomethylated upon differentiation of cytotrophoblasts into syncytiotrophoblasts. Furthermore, the preponderance of altered sites was located at AP-1 binding sites. We suggest that AP-1 expression is triggered by hypoxia and interacts with DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) to target methylation at specific sites in the genome, thus causing suppression of the associated genes that are responsible for differentiation of villous cytotrophoblast to syncytiotrophoblast. RNA from cytotrophoblast from 2 placentas exposed to 3 different conditions of hypoxia (1%,8%,20%) and treated with 3 levels of vitamin D were run on the Illumina HT-12v4 Expression Array
2013-01-18 | E-GEOD-41331 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:The mechanisms by which the placenta adapts to exogenous stimuli to create a stable and healthy environment for the growing fetus are not well known. Low oxygen tension and sub-optimal vitamin D levels influence placental function and both are associated with preeclampsia, a condition associated with altered development of placental trophoblast. We hypothesized that oxygen tension, vitamin D levels, or both affect villous trophoblast by modulation of gene expression through DNA methylation. To test this we used the Illumina Infinium Human Methylation 450 BeadChip array to compare the DNA methylation profile of primary cultures of human cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts under three oxygen tensions and three vitamin D levels. We found no effect on global DNA methylation by either treatment, but a limited set of loci became hypermethylated in cytotrophoblasts exposed for 24 hours to 1% oxygen, as compared to the same cells exposed to 8% or 20% oxygen. Vitamin D levels had no detectable effect on methylation profiles in either trophoblast type. Hypermethylation with low oxygen tension was independently confirmed by bisulfite-pyrosequencing in a subset of functionally important genes including CP, ITGA5, SOD2, XDH and ZNF2. Intriguingly, 70 out of the 147 hypoxia-associated CpGs, overlapped with CpG sites that become hypomethylated upon differentiation of cytotrophoblasts into syncytiotrophoblasts. Furthermore, the preponderance of altered sites was located at AP-1 binding sites. We suggest that AP-1 expression is triggered by hypoxia and interacts with DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) to target methylation at specific sites in the genome, thus causing suppression of the associated genes that are responsible for differentiation of villous cytotrophoblast to syncytiotrophoblast. DNA from 2 cell types from 5 placentas exposed to 3 different conditions of hypoxia (1%,8%,20%) and treated with 3 levels of vitamin D were bisulfite converted and run on the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip
2013-01-18 | E-GEOD-41336 | biostudies-arrayexpress
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2010-03-09 | E-GEOD-14454 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:We profiled purified human cytotrophoblasts derived from second trimester placenta across four culture time points (0-39 h).
2021-03-02 | MSV000086970 | MassIVE