Project description:Difficulties associated with long term culture of primary trophoblasts have proven to be a major hurdle in their functional characterization. In order to circumvent this issue, several model cell lines have been established over many years using a variety of different approaches. Due to their differing origins, gene expression profiles, and behavior in vitro, different model lines have been utilized to investigate specific aspects of trophoblast biology. However, generally speaking, the molecular mechanisms underlying functional differences remain unclear. In this study, we profiled genome-scale DNA methylation in primary first trimester trophoblast cells and seven commonly used trophoblast-derived cell lines in an attempt to identify functional pathways differentially regulated by epigenetic modification in these cells. We identified a general increase in DNA promoter methylation levels in four choriocarcinoma (CCA)-derived lines and transformed HTR-8/SVneo cells, including hypermethylation of several genes regularly seen in human cancers, while other differences in methylation were noted in genes linked to immune responsiveness, cell morphology, development and migration across the different cell populations. Interestingly, CCA-derived lines show an overall methylation profile more similar to unrelated solid cancers than to untransformed trophoblasts, highlighting the role of aberrant DNA methylation in CCA development and/or long term culturing. Comparison of DNA methylation and gene expression in CCA lines and cytotrophoblasts revealed a significant contribution of DNA methylation to overall expression profile. These data highlight the variability in epigenetic state between primary trophoblasts and cell models in pathways underpinning a wide range of cell functions, providing valuable candidate pathways for future functional investigation in different cell populations. This study also confirms the need for caution in the interpretation of data generated from manipulation of such pathways in vitro. Purified primary trophoblast populations and trophoblast-derived cell lines were used
Project description:KDM5C is a H3K4- specific demethylase, which has multiple biological roles in development and disease. However, the role of KDM5C in trophoblasts at the maternal-fetal interface remains unknown. Here, we showed that KDM5C was upregulated in placental trophoblasts from patient with recurrent miscarriage (RM). Trophoblasts proliferation and invasion was inhibited by KDM5C overexpression and was enhanced by KDM5C knockdown. Interestingly, KDM5C knockdown promoted trophoblast invasion in villous explant culture system. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses revealed that KDM5C exerts anti-proliferation and anti-invasion effect by directly modulating H3K4 methylation level to repress the expression of a number of key regulatory genes. We show that two of these genes, TGFβ2, RAGE, are essential for the proliferation and invasion of trophoblasts. Taken together, our results show that the KDM5C is regulator of trophoblast function during early pregnancy and indicated that KDM5C may be involved in the pathogenesis of RM. To characterize genome-wide H3K4me3 chromatin-state of HTR-8/SVneo cells.
Project description:We established an immortalized term placenta-derived trophoblast cell line and demonstrated functional and transcriptomic differences against chorion trophoblasts and BeWo cells.
Project description:Successful placentation requires delicate communication between endometrium and trophoblasts. The invasion and integration of trophoblasts into the endometrium during early pregnancy is crucial to placentation. Dysregulation of these functions is associated with various pregnancy complications such as miscarriage and preeclampsia. The endometrial microenvironment exerts an important influence on trophoblast cell functions. We hypothesized that the hormonal environment regulates the miRNA profile and secretome of the human endometrial gland, which subsequently modulates trophoblast functions during early pregnancy. By establishing the first secretome profiles and miRNA atlas of these endometrial organoids to the hormonal changes followed by trophoblast functional assays, we demonstrated that sex steroid hormones modulate aquaporins (AQP)1/9 and S100A9 secretions through miR-3194 activation in endometrial epithelial cells, which in turn enhanced trophoblast migration and invasion during early pregnancy.
Project description:The distinct Class I MHC expression pattern in extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) endows them with immune-tolerant properties that enable successful pregnancy. Notwithstanding, it remains elusive how this process is elaborately regulated. Previously, we identified ELF3 as a transcription factor that governs high level HLA-C expression in EVT. In this study, we found that ELF3 also binds to the enhancer region of two NLR genes, NLRP2 and NLRP7, transactivating NLRP7 expression while suppressing expression of NLRP2. We confirmed that NLRP2 suppresses HLA-C expression while in this study we described a novel role for NLRP7 promoting HLA-C expression in trophoblasts. These two NLR genes, highly expressed in trophoblasts, are thus fine-tuned by ELF3 and enable proper expression of HLA-C in trophoblasts.