Spatiotemporal expression of SERPINE2 in the human placenta and its role in extravillous trophoblast migration and invasion

Chern Schu-Rern, Li Sheng-Hsiang, Chiu Chien-Ling, Chang Hsiao-Ho, Chen Chih-Ping, Tsuen

Description

SERPINE2, one of the potent serpins belonging to the plasminogen activator (PA) system, is involved in the tissue remodeling. We previously demonstrated the expression patterns of Serpine2 in the mouse placenta and uterus, indicating that Serpine2 is a major PA inhibitor in the placenta and uterus during the estrous cycle, pregnancy, and lactation. In this study, we further investigated the expression pattern of SERPINE2 in the human placenta and explored possible functional roles of SERPINE2 in regulating trophoblast activity. Methods Placental tissues from various trimesters were collected for real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction quantification. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in placental tissues to assure localization of SERPINE2. SERPINE2 small interfering (si) RNA was applied to suppress its expression in villous explants and extravillous trophoblast-like 3A cells. Subsequent experiments to evaluate SERPINE2 levels, villous outgrowth, trophoblast invasion, and tube formation were performed. Results SERPINE2 messenger RNA was detected in the human placenta during pregnancy with the highest levels in the third trimester. The SERPINE2 protein was present in villous syncytiotrophoblasts and trophoblasts of chorionic villi for anti-SERPINE2 immunostaining. Extravillous trophoblasts in the chorionic plate and basal plate confronting the invasive face of anchoring villi were also positive. In most decidual cells, SERPINE2 was observed in the cytoplasm. In addition, fibrinoid deposit was weakly immunoreactive. of SERPINE2 siRNA into villous explants and trophoblast cells led to significantly reduced villous outgrowth, and trophoblastic migration and invasion. Moreover, capillary-like network formation of 3A cells in Matrigel was greatly attenuated by SERPINE2 siRNA and SERPINE2 antiserum. Conclusions These data identify the temporal and spatial SERPINE2 distribution in the human placenta and suggest its possible role in modulating tissue remodeling of extravillous trophoblasts in the placenta during pregnancy.

Informations

• Publié par: biomed
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2011
• Nombre de lectures: 5
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 4 Mo

Extrait

Chern et al. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2011, 9:106
http://www.rbej.com/content/9/1/106
RESEARCH Open Access
Spatiotemporal expression of SERPINE2 in the
human placenta and its role in extravillous
trophoblast migration and invasion
1,2 2,3 2 2 2,4,5,6,7,8*Schu-Rern Chern , Sheng-Hsiang Li , Chien-Ling Chiu , Hsiao-Ho Chang , Chih-Ping Chen and
1*Edmund I Tsuen Chen
Abstract
Background: SERPINE2, one of the potent serpins belonging to the plasminogen activator (PA) system, is involved
in the tissue remodeling. We previously demonstrated the expression patterns of Serpine2 in the mouse placenta
and uterus, indicating that Serpine2 is a major PA inhibitor in the placenta and uterus during the estrous cycle,
pregnancy, and lactation. In this study, we further investigated the expression pattern of SERPINE2 in the human
placenta and explored possible functional roles of SERPINE2 in regulating trophoblast activity.
Methods: Placental tissues from various trimesters were collected for real-time reverse-transcription polymerase
chain reaction quantification. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in placental tissues to assure
localization of SERPINE2. SERPINE2 small interfering (si) RNA was applied to suppress its expression in villous
explants and extravillous trophoblast-like 3A cells. Subsequent experiments to evaluate SERPINE2 levels, villous
outgrowth, trophoblast invasion, and tube formation were performed.
Results: SERPINE2 messenger RNA was detected in the human placenta during pregnancy with the highest levels
in the third trimester. The SERPINE2 protein was present in villous syncytiotrophoblasts and trophoblasts of
chorionic villi for anti-SERPINE2 immunostaining. Extravillous trophoblasts in the chorionic plate and basal plate
confronting the invasive face of anchoring villi were also positive. In most decidual cells, SERPINE2 was observed in
the cytoplasm. In addition, fibrinoid deposit was weakly immunoreactive. Introduction of SERPINE2 siRNA into
villous explants and trophoblast cells led to significantly reduced villous outgrowth, and trophoblastic migration
and invasion. Moreover, capillary-like network formation of 3A cells in Matrigel was greatly attenuated by SERPINE2
siRNA and SERPINE2 antiserum.
Conclusions: These data identify the temporal and spatial SERPINE2 distribution in the human placenta and
suggest its possible role in modulating tissue remodeling of extravillous trophoblasts in the placenta during
pregnancy.
Background SERPINE2 is widely expressed in various tissues,
SERPINE2, also called protease nexin-1 and glial-derived including endothelial cells, fibroblasts, smooth muscle
neurite promoting factor, is a 44-kDa member of the cells, tumor cells, glial cells, neurons, and placental cells
[6-9]. Expression patterns of SERPINE2 in the placentaserine protease inhibitor (SERPIN) superfamily. It was
shown to be a potent inhibitor of the urokinase-plasmi- are quite dissimilar in different species. Expression levels
nogen activator (uPA), tissue-type PA (tPA), thrombin, of SERPINE2 in the monkey endometrium and placenta
trypsin, factor XIa, and prostasin [1-5]. during early pregnancy were below the level of detection
[10]. In rats, Serpine2 messenger RNA (mRNA)
expres* Correspondence: [e-mail]; [e-mail] sion was only detected in endometrial stromal cells of
1Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, National the uterus, particularly at the time of implantation [11].
Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
2 of Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
© 2011 Chern et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in
any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Chern et al. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology 2011, 9:106 Page 2 of 10
http://www.rbej.com/content/9/1/106
It was reported that SERPINE2 is highly expressed in with a surgical knife and resuspended in culture
medthe human placenta throughout pregnancy [12]. ium (Medium 199 containing 10% fetal calf serum
We demonstrated that Serpine2 is extensively (FCS), penicillin/streptomycin, and amphoteracin B).
expressed in various cell types in the mouse placenta
and uterus, and in the human uterine endometrium Cell/explant culture and treatment
[13,14]. In the murine uterus and placenta, it was pro- 3A cells, derived from first-trimester human trophoblast
minently expressed in decidual stromal cells, metrial by SV40 ts30 transformation [21], were purchased from
glands, endometrial epithelium, trophoblasts of the ATCC (CRL-1584; Rockville, MD, USA). Cells were
cullabyrinth, and spongiotrophoblasts during gestation. In tured in medium 199 (M199, Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA,
humans, the SERPINE2 protein is highly expressed in USA) supplemented with 10% FCS (Invitrogen) and 100
the endometrium during the secretory phase [14]. These IU/ml penicillin/streptomycin (Invitrogen), and
mainfindings suggest a role for SERPINE2 in modulating tis- tained at 37°C in 5% CO . Preparation of placental2
sue remodeling during implantation. Although SER- explants was performed as described elsewhere [22].
VilPINE2wasfoundtobeexpressedbytrophoblastsin lous tips were dissected under a microscope to
approxi3various animals, the temporal expression of SERPINE2 mately 2~3 mm and incubated for 16 h in culture
in the human placenta during gestation still remains medium at 37°C and 5% CO . An extracellular matrix2
unclear [12]. (ECM) gel solution was prepared using 1 ml neutralized
Recent reports on human cancers indicated that SER- collagen I (4 mg/ml, Sigma-Aldrich, St Louis, MO,
PINE2 levels were elevated in pancreatic tumors [15], USA) mixed with 1 ml Matrigel (10 mg/ml, BD
Biosbreast tumors [16], colorectal tumors [17], oral squa- ciences, San Jose, CA, USA). The ECM gel for explants
mous carcinomas [18], and liposarcomas [19]. In con- was formed by adding 85 μl of the ECM solution onto
trast, the physiological function of SERPINE2 in the surface of 6-well culture dishes (Nunc, Roskilde,
placental extravillous trophoblasts that possess “pseudo- Denmark). After hardening of the gels, the villous tips
malignant” features is less well documented [20]. (explants) were put on top of the gel and immersed in
In addition to previous findings of the relatively abun- medium for 2~4 h to allow adherence to the ECM.
dant levels of SERPINE2 in female reproductive tissues, Explants were then flooded with 1 ml M199 medium in
existing microarray gene expression profiles of normal the absence or presence of small interfering RNA
human tissues deposited in the NCBI GEO database (siRNA). Three ECM gels in each well containing 9~12
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/geo/; GDS596, GDS1096, and 30~36 explants of each placenta were utilized. Four
and GDS3113) show that the placenta expresses the placentas (with respective gestational ages of 9, 12, 16,
highest levels of SERPINE2 among all probed tissues and20wk)weresubjectedtoexplantculture.Villous
except seminal vesicles. In the present study, we investi- outgrowth and migration of trophoblasts were evaluated
gated the spatiotemporal expression of SERPINE2 in the following a previously published protocol [23]. Briefly,
human placenta. Further, knock-down experiments with the explant morphology was carefully analyzed by two
SERPINE2 were performed to examine if the suppres- observers to judge explant outgrowth. The numbers of
sion of SERPINE2 in villous explants and trophoblast outgrowth sites of villous explants were recorded at 72
cells could modulate trophoblast invasion in vitro. h. Migration of trophoblast cells in the ECM was scored
at120honascaleof0-5(0,nomigration;1,oneor
Methods two sites of localized migration; 2, several sites of
locaPlacental tissue collection lized migration; 3, moderate migration; 4, moderate to
Human placental tissues from the first (7~12 wk of extensive migration; and 5, extensive migration from
gestation; n = 5), second (13~24 wk of gestation; n = 4), several sites around the explant).
and third trimesters (31~38 wk of gestation; n = 10) SERPINE2-targeted siRNAs and corresponding
were obtained from the Department of Obstetrics and scrambled siRNAs were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich
Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital. Signed, written (for sequences see Additional file 1, Table S1). 3A cells
6consent was obtained from each patient before sample (3 × 10 ) were transiently transfected with 0.05 μMof
collection. The use of placental tissue specimens and siRNAs using the Lipofectamine 2000 (Invitrogen)
theconsentformswereapprovedbytheInstitutional reagent, whereas villous cultures directly gained 1 μM
Review Board of Mackay Memorial Hospital. Tissues siRNAs by an active transport mode [24]. After 24 h of
were collected and washed three times in sterile saline, transfection, 3A cells were trypsinized for subsequent
then they were (a) fixed in 10% neutral formalin (Merck, experiments, including RNA extraction following a
Darmstadt, Germany), embedded in paraffin, (b) stored reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction
(RTin either RNAlater (Ambion, Austin, TX, USA) at -80°C PCR), wound-healing assay, invasion assay, and