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Original Studies |
Departments of Clinical Biology (J.M.B., L.L., V.L., D.B.), Pathology (B.C.), and Nuclear Medicine (M.S.), Institut Gustave-Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France; INSERM U-427 (D.E.-B.), Laboratoire dImmunologie des Tumeurs, ESA 8067, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (J.M.B., D.B.), Faculté des Sciences Pharmaceutiques et Biologiques, Université René Descartes, 75006 Paris, France; Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique, Hôpital Antoine Béclère (R.F.), 92141 Clamart, France; and Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale e Clinica, Policlinico Mater Domini (S.F.), 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. J. M. Bidart, Institut Gustave-Roussy, 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, 94805 Villejuif, France. E-mail: bidart{at}igr.fr
| Abstract |
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Both NIS and PDS genes are expressed in placenta, albeit at low levels compared with those in thyroid tissue. NIS gene expression in placental samples from first trimester and term pregnancies was similar. In contrast, the expression of PDS gene was higher in term than in first trimester pregnancy samples. In vitro, NIS gene was expressed at a high level in VCT obtained from first trimester pregnancy, and its expression decreased by 3- to 4-fold during the differentiation of VCT in VSCT. Expression of NIS was lower (up to 30-fold) in VCT obtained in placental samples from third trimester than from first trimester pregnancy. In contrast, the expression of PDS gene was low in VCT and increased by 5- to 10-fold during VSCT formation; this was observed in cells isolated from placental samples of both first trimester and term pregnancies. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that NIS protein was present on the entire membrane of VCT, whereas pendrin was mainly located at the brush border membrane of VSCT, facing the mother. In conclusion, 1) NIS and PDS genes are differently expressed in the placenta during gestation; and 2) whereas pendrin is expressed at the brush border membrane of syncytiotrophoblast cells, NIS protein is mainly located in the cytotrophoblast layer.
| Introduction |
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In contrast, significant progress has been accomplished in understanding the transcellular transport of iodide from the basolateral to the apical membrane of the thyrocyte (7, 8). The sodium/iodide symporter (NIS), a transmembrane glycoprotein located at the basolateral pole, is responsible for iodide uptake from blood by an active, energy-dependent process (9, 10). Pendrin, the product of the gene responsible for Pendred syndrome (PDS), an autosomal recessive disease characterized by goiter and congenital sensorineural deafness, was recently identified in the thyroid gland; it was localized by immunohistochemistry at the apical pole of the thyrocyte and was shown in vitro to act as a transporter of chloride and iodide (11, 12, 13, 14, 15).
In the present study we examine whether these two iodide transporters are expressed in trophoblast cells. By using real-time kinetic quantitative RT-PCR, we analyzed both NIS and PDS gene expression in placental tissues collected at different gestational ages as well as in primary culture of cytotrophoblast cells that differentiate and fuse over 23 days in vitro to form syncytiotrophoblast cells. By immunohistochemistry we analyze the localization of the products of these two genes in the villous tissue. Our results showed that 1) NIS and PDS genes are differently expressed during gestation; and 2) whereas pendrin immunostained the brush border membrane of syncytiotrophoblast cells, NIS protein is mainly located in the membrane of cytotrophoblast cells.
| Materials and Methods |
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First trimester placental tissues were obtained from the Service de Gynécologie Obstétrique at the Hôpital Antoine-Béclère from voluntary pregnancy terminations. Term placental tissues were obtained at the time of cesarean sections. All tissues were obtained in accordance with protocols approved previously by the local human studies committee. Placental samples were used for cytotrophoblast cell isolation as described below. They were immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80 C for preparation of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and for immunohistochemical studies. Three samples of normal thyroid tissue, obtained from the tissue bank at Institut Gustave-Roussy, were pooled and used as controls in the analysis of mRNA levels.
Cell culture
To obtain cytotrophoblast cells and syncytiotrophoblast cells, villous tissue from either early or term placental tissues was dissected free of membranes and vessels, rinsed, and minced in Ca2+- and Mg2+-free HBSS. After digestion by trypsin-deoxyribonuclease, cells were fractionated on a discontinuous Percoll gradient (16). A homogeneous population, consisting of more than 90% viable cytotrophoblast cells as assessed by their phenotypic expression of trophoblast markers, was obtained (17). Cells were then plated onto 60-mm culture dishes (3 x 106 cells/dish) in 3 mL DMEM supplemented with 25 mmol/L HEPES, 2 mmol/L glutamine, 20% heat-inactivated FCS, and antibiotics (100 IU/mL penicillin and 100 mg/mL streptomycin) and were maintained at 37 C in humidified 5% CO2-95% air. Cells were scrapped after a 24-h incubation, corresponding to VCT, and after a 72-h incubation, corresponding to the differentiation of VCT into VSCT. To further investigate the regulation of the expression of both NIS and PDS genes, 0.1 mmol/L 8-bromo-cAMP was added to VCT for a 24-h incubation. Cells were then scrapped and analyzed (18).
Determination of mRNA level using real-time RT-PCR
Total RNA was isolated from either tissue samples or cultured trophoblast cells (VCT or VSCT) using the DNA/RNA extraction Midi kit according to the manufacturers instructions (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany). The total RNA concentration was determined at 260 nm, and its quality was assessed by conventional gel electrophoresis. One microgram of total RNA from each sample was reverse transcribed in a 20-µL volume reaction using 50 U Moloney murine leukemia virus reverse transcriptase, 20 U ribonuclease inhibitor (Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA), 1 mmol/L dA/T/C/G (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Uppsala, Sweden), 5 mmol/L MgCl2, 10 mmol/L Tris-HCl (pH 8.3), 10 mmol/L KCl, and 50 pmol/L random hexamers (Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems). The complementary DNAs were then diluted 1:20 in nuclease-free H2O (Promega Corp., Madison, WI).
Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was conducted as previously described
(19). Briefly, oligonucleotide primers and TaqMan probes
for NIS, PDS, and hCGß genes were designed to be intron spanning,
using the computer program Primer Express (Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems). They were purchased
from Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems, and their sequences are presented in Table 1
. PCR reaction was carried out to
produce amplicons that were subsequently analyzed by gel
electrophoresis and sequencing. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR was
achieved in 96 sample tubes/assay using a complementary DNA equivalent
of 20 ng/total RNA·50 µL/tube with the TaqMan PCR core reagent kit
according to the manufacturers instructions; 1 x buffer A, 5
mmol/L MgCl2, 200 µmol/L dA/C/G, 400 µmol/L
dU, 1.25 U AmpliTaq Gold DNA polymerase, 2.5 U uracil
N-glycosylase, 100 mmol/L TaqMan probe, and 200 mmol/L of
each primer. PCR was developed on the ABI Prism 7700 Sequence Detector
(Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems).
To normalize for differences in the amount of total RNA added to the
reaction, amplification of 18S ribosomal RNA was performed as an
endogenous control. Primers and probes for 18S RNA were purchased from
Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems.
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Immunohistochemistry
Serial frozen cryostat tissue sections (5 µm) were cut and fixed in acetone for 10 min. These sections were then incubated for 30 min with either the anti-pendrin or anti-NIS antiserum, diluted at 1:75 and 1:500, respectively. The production and the characteristics of the two antiserum have been described previously (14, 20). Sections were then washed three times in Tris-HCl buffer for 5 min and incubated with a biotinylated antibody (EnVision Labeled Polymer, DAKO Corp., Carpinteria, CA). They were washed again three times and incubated with peroxidase-labeled streptavidin (Universal LSAB2 kit/HRP, DAKO Corp.) for 10 min. After three further washes, staining was completed after incubation with substrate chromogen solution (DAKO Corp.). Negative controls were obtained by incubating sections with preimmune antisera and immune antisera preabsorbed with an excess of the corresponding peptide.
| Results |
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NIS and PDS gene transcripts were detected in placental
villous tissues collected at early (n = 24) and late pregnancies
(n = 21). A quantitative assessment of these two mRNA transcripts
studied was generated by comparative amplification curves obtained by
using real-time RT-PCR of the genes together with the hCGß and
ribosomal 18S RNAs (Fig. 1
).
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NIS and PDS gene expression during differentiation of cytotrophoblast cells
To address the question of which trophoblastic cell type expresses
NIS and/or PDS genes, the levels of their transcripts were analyzed
during in vitro syncytiotrophoblast formation that occurred
within 72 h after platting VCT cells isolated from placenta. This
morphological change is associated with a large increase in hCGß
mRNA, as presented in Fig. 3C
. The level
of hCGß mRNA increased up to 70-fold during the differentiation of
VCT in VSCT when trophoblastic cells are isolated from first trimester
placenta, whereas expression of hCGß gene was low in cell cultures
obtained from third trimester placenta.
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Immunohistochemistry
By immunohistochemical analysis, we examined whether
NIS and PDS mRNAs are translated and analyzed the protein
distribution in human placental tissue. Indeed, the two immunoreactive
iodide transporters were detected in human placenta, but at different
locations. Thus, immunostaining of the NIS protein was present on the
entire membrane of cytotrophoblast cells (Fig. 4
, top), and pendrin staining
was mainly localized at the border membrane, facing the mother, of
syncytiotrophoblast cells (Fig. 4
, bottom).
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| Discussion |
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Our results show that both NIS and PDS genes are expressed in the placenta, albeit at much lower levels than in the thyroid tissue. The expression of the NIS gene in the placenta is in accordance with its expression in most tissues and organs able to transport iodide, particularly in exocrine glands (21, 22). However, its unexpected preferential expression in cytotrophoblast cells suggests that it may actively transport iodide from the villous syncytiotrophoblast layer, in contact with the maternal blood, toward the fetus. Furthermore, its apparent absence of polarization in cytotrophoblast is in contrast with that observed in thyrocytes and extrathyroidal cells (20). Although a large variation in NIS expression was observed from one sample to another, there was no difference in the mean and median levels of transcripts in tissue samples obtained from either first trimester or term pregnancy. However, in in vitro experiments, NIS expression appeared to be higher in cytotrophoblast cells obtained from first trimester placenta than in cells obtained from term placenta. Exposure of cytotrophoblast cells to 8-bromo-cAMP induced NIS gene expression, in accordance with the presence of a cAMP-responsive element in the NIS gene promoter (23).
PDS gene expression appears to be restricted to thyrocytes, to a limited set of cell types within the ear, and to kidney (24). Pendrin acts as a sodium-independent transporter of chloride and iodide (12, 15, 25). Its location in the syncytiotrophoblast cells is compatible with several observations demonstrating that these cells control anion efflux, particularly I- and Cl- (26). The increase in PDS gene expression during gestation is in agreement with a marked maternal to fetal gradient of iodide through the villous syncytiotrophoblast layer during the second and third trimesters (1, 2). However, the precise mechanism of the iodide transcellular transport through the villous layer remains unclear. Indeed, pendrin location at the brush border membrane facing the mother would imply a different direction of iodide transport compared with the model proposed for thyrocytes (15).
The mechanisms involved in the differential trophoblast expression of NIS and PDS genes remain unknown. In thyrocytes, estradiol down-regulates NIS expression (27). In human placenta, estradiol stimulates the differentiation of cytotrophoblast into syncytiotrophoblast (28). Therefore, it remains to be determined whether estradiol, which is produced in large amounts by the trophoblast, down-regulates NIS expression directly at the gene level (29) or indirectly by stimulating syncytiotrophoblast differentiation.
Finally, our observations would be of potential value for understanding the potential hazards due to accidental exposure to radioiodine during pregnancy (30, 31, 32). Indeed, the embryo and fetus present an extreme sensitivity to radionuclides, particularly to radioiodine (32). Furthermore, they also may be of interest to determine the physiopathological effects of iodide deficiency or iodide excess during pregnancy.
| Acknowledgments |
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| Footnotes |
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Received April 21, 2000.
Revised July 31, 2000.
Accepted August 7, 2000.
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