Automated chromatographic analysis of human placenta polyamines

The levels of endogenous polyamines were quantified in human placenta at different stages of fetal development by an automated chromatographic technique. The appearance around the sixth month of pregnancy of an unidentified basic compound was observed.     

Time course analysis of RNA stability in human placenta

Background  

Evaluation of RNA quality is essential for gene expression analysis, as the presence of degraded samples may influence the interpretation of expression levels. Particularly, qRT-PCR data can be affected by RNA integrity and stability. To explore systematically how RNA quality affects qRT-PCR assay performance, a set of human placenta RNA samples was generated by two protocols handlings of fresh tissue over a progressive time course of 4 days. Protocol A consists of a direct transfer of tissue into RNA-stabilizing solution (RNAlater™) solution. Protocol B uses a dissection of placenta villosities before bio banking. We tested and compared RNA yields, total RNA integrity, mRNA integrity and stability in these two protocols according to the duration of storage.     

Amino terminal sequence analysis of human placenta aromatase

The amino acid composition and the amino-terminal amino acid sequence from position 1 to 21 of human placenta aromatase were determined. In addition, a cysteine containing peptide with a sequence homologous to those of peptides containing the cysteine residue which was suggested to provide the proximal thiolate ligand to the heme in other cytochrome p-450 isozymes, was identified. The results indicate that aromatase is a cytochrome p-450 protein, probably derived from a new cytochrome p-450 family.     

Cystatins of human placenta

Two low-molecular protein fractions inhibiting cysteine proteases were isolated from human placenta by alkalization to pH 11, acetone fractionation, affinity chromatography on CM-papain-Sepharose 4B, and Sephadex G-75 gel filtration. The results of polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing indicate that one of there fractions in a dimer of cystatins B, and another is a mixture of cystatins A and B.     

Steroid-protein interaction in human placenta

Human placenta produces a large variety of bioactive substances with endocrine and neural competence: pituitary and gonadal hormones, hypothalamic-like releasing or inhibiting hormones, growth factors, cytokines and neuropeptides. The most recent findings indicate that locally produced hormones regulate the secretion of other placental hormones supporting a paracrine/autocrine regulation. In placental endocrinology, a particular relevance is played by steroid hormones. In fact, a specific gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) regulation of placental steroidogenesis has been proposed as a placental internal regulatory system acting on steroids production from human placenta. In addition, activin and inhibin have been proposed as further regulatory substances of the synthesis and secretion of steroids; the addition of activin A to placental culture augments GnRH, hCG and progesterone, and this effect can be significantly reduced by the addition of inhibins. Finally, a steroid-steroid interaction is suggested by the evidence that placental estrogen has a positive role in the regulation of progesterone biosynthesis. Other steroid-protein interactions have been observed in human placenta. In fact, recent data indicate that progesterone inhibits placental corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and estrogens act on placental conversion of cortisol to cortisone, activating cortisol secretion by the fetal adrenal and enhancing fetal adrenal function with advancing gestation.     

Estrogen sulfotransferase in human placenta

Human placental estrogen sulfotransferase (ESFT) was partially purified from the term placental cytosol by (NH4)2SO4 precipitation and agarose gel chromatography. Additional purifications caused a rapid loss of the enzyme activity. The activity was abolished by isoelectrofocusing but partially retained by chromatofocusing. The value of pI of human placental ESFT is 5.8 and the same value was obtained for bovine adrenal ESFT. The enzyme protein was able to bind to the affinity resin, estradiol-17-hemisuccinyl-1,2-diaminododecane sepharose 4B, but difficult to be extracted by estradiol (E2). The extract of the affinity resin showed one major protein band at 68,000 dalton on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Kinetic studies using partially purified ESFT revealed that E2 is the best substrate for this enzyme. The relative rate of sulfurylation of E2, estrone, estriol and dehydroepiandrosterone at 4 microM (Km for E2) is 1, 0.3, 0.08 and 0.08, respectively.     

Comparative proteomic analysis of human placenta derived from assisted reproductive technology

The aim of this study was to use proteomics-based approach to examine differences in protein expression in placenta derived from assisted reproductive technology (ART) and normal pregnancy. Using 2-DE we found that, compared with the control group, 12 spots in standard in vitro fertilization group and 18 spots in intracytoplasmic sperm injection group were identified as significantly differentially expressed proteins. Among them, six spots were differentially expressed in both standard IVF and ICSI groups with the same change tendency. Totally, 20 proteins were successfully identified by MALDI TOF/TOF MS, including proteins involved in the membrane traffic, metabolism, nucleic acid processing, stress response and cytoskeleton. Notably, five proteins detected to be differentially expressed in both ART groups were identified as annexin A3, hnRNP C1/C2, alpha-SNAP, FTL and ATP5A. Some of the proteins were confirmed by Western blot and immunohistochemistry analysis. Our study allowed for the initial identification of these proteins related to various functions in placentation with significantly altered abundance in ART groups. The present results reveal that abnormal protein profiles are involved in ART placenta and these differentially expressed proteins may be valuable for the evaluation of potential association between ART treatment and offspring outcome.     

Gangliosides from human placenta

Gangliosides of human placenta were studied, using biochemical methods and specific antibodies. The placenta was found to contain three types of gangliosides with oligosaccharide chains Lac, GgOse4 and nLcOse4.     

The calpain system in human placenta

The calpain system is involved in a number of human pathologies ranging from the muscular dystrophies to Alzheimer's disease. It is important, therefore, to be able to obtain and to characterize both mu-calpain and m-calpain from human tissue. Although human mu-calpain can be conveniently obtained from either erythrocytes or platelets, no readily available source of human m-calpain has been described. Human placenta extracts contain both mu-calpain and m-calpain in nearly equal proportions and in significant quantities (3-4 mg mu-calpain and 4-5 mg m-calpain/1000 g placenta tissue). Placenta also contains calpastatin that elutes off ion-exchange columns over a wide range of KCl concentrations completely masking the mu-calpain activity eluting off these columns and even partly overlapping m-calpain elution. Placenta mu-calpain requires 50-70 microM Ca2+ and placenta m-calpain requires 450-460 microM Ca2+ for half-maximal proteolytic activity. Western analysis of washed placenta tissue shows that placenta contains both mu- and m-calpain, although some of the mu-calpain in whole placenta extracts likely originates from the erythrocytes that are abundant in the highly vascularized placenta. Placenta calpastatin could not be purified with conventional methods. The most prominent form of calpastatin in Western analyses of placenta obtained as soon as possible after birth was approximately 48-51 kDa; partly purified preparations of placenta calpastatin also contained 48-51 and 70 kDa polypeptides. Human placenta extracts likely contain two different calpastatin isoforms, a 48-51 kDa "placenta calpastatin" and a 70 kDa erythrocyte calpastatin.     

RNA synthesis in cultured human placenta

The in vitro synthesis of RNA in the human placental tissue, incubated in organ culture, was investigated. We followed the synthesis of the poly A(-) and poly A(+) RNA fractions, and investigated the distribution of the newly synthesized RNA among the subcellular fractions isolated from first and third trimester placentas.The poly A(-) RNA was the major fraction of the RNA synthesized in vitro. The incorporation of [³H]uridine into the poly A(+) RNA fraction was very low.As protein synthesis occurred during the entire incubation period, we suggest the presence of a pool of mRNA molecules in the form of mRNP particles.     

Adenyl cyclase in the human placenta

This study demonstrated that the human placenta possesses an adenyl cyclase system responsive to catecholamines and sodium flouride (NaF). 2.5 gm human term placentas were homogenized, centrifuged, washed, resuspended, and used as the enzyme system when placed with various agents. Incubations and the determination of adenosine 3', 5' monophosphate (cyclic AMP) formed were performed. Samples stimulated by .0001 M catecholamines (L-epinephrine or L-norepinephrine) or .01 M NaF had higher levels of cyclic AMP than the controls (p. 005 for catecholamine-treated samples and p. 001 for NaF-treated samples). A concentration of .0001 M L-epinephrine or L-norepinephrine appeared to be a maximum effective dose and .0000001 M a minimum. L=epinephrine was 10 times as effective in the stimulation as L-norepinephrine. With .0001 M, 499 and 439 pmoles/10 minutes per 25 mg of tissue was formed, whereas in the control (no added hormones) 256 pmoles/10 minutes were formed. 3.2% ethanol activated the system by a small amount (p.02). Propranolol alone did not appear to have any effect; however, the effect of .0001 M L-epinephrine was reduced by 95% in the presence of .00001 M propranolol. Propranolol had no effect on NaF-stimulated activity.     

Immunoglobin-binding proteins in human placenta]

Phenomena of the binding of poor-soluble placenta proteins (PSPP) with pregnant women sera IgG as well as placenta blood IgG were studied. PSPP were extracted from the placenta tissue, washed out from soluble proteins, by the use of 3M KCl solution containing 0.005 M PMSF. PSPP were separated by the use of two-dimensional isoelectrofocusing and SDS-PAG electrophoresis and more than 30 different polypeptides were visualized. Having used various ELISA procedures with pregnant women sera IgG, placenta blood IgG as well as its Fab and Fc-fragments we have shown that both the receptor-type and the antigen-antibody-like interaction of PSPP took place. Both the polypeptide compositions and the isoelectrofocusing points ranges of the antigen-antibody-like interacting IgG-binding PSPP were determined by the use of the peroxidase conjugated Fab-fragments of the placenta blood IgG.