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The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism Vol. 86, No. 10 5017-5024
Copyright © 2001 by The Endocrine Society


Other Original Articles

PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} Heterodimers Control Human Trophoblast Invasion

Anne Tarrade, Kristina Schoonjans, Laetitia Pavan, Johan Auwerx, Cécile Rochette-Egly, Danièle Evain-Brion and Thierry Fournier

INSERM, U-427, Faculté de Pharmacie (A.T., L.P., D.E.-B., T.F.), 75006 Paris, France; and Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/INSERM (K.S., J.A., C.R.-E.), 67404 Illkirch, France

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Thierry Fournier, INSERM, U-427, Faculté de Pharmacie, 75006 Paris, France. E-mail: t.fournier{at}pharmacie.univ-paris5.fr

Abstract

The ligand-dependent nuclear receptors PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} were recently determined to be essential for murine placental development and trophoblast differentiation. In the current study we examined the expression and role of the PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers in human invasive trophoblasts. We first report that in human first trimester placenta, PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} are highly expressed in cytotrophoblasts at the feto-maternal interface, especially in the extravillous cytotrophoblasts involved in uterus invasion. The coexpression of PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} genes in extravillous cytotrophoblast nuclei were then confirmed by immunocytochemistry, immunoblot, and real-time quantitative PCR using cultured purified primary extravillous cytotrophoblasts. We next examined, using the extravillous cytotrophoblast culture model, the biological role of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers in vitro, and we showed that both synthetic (rosiglitazone) and natural [15-deoxy-{delta}-(12,14)PGJ2] PPAR{gamma} agonists inhibit extravillous cytotrophoblast invasion in a concentration-dependent manner and synergize with pan-RXR agonists. Conversely, PPAR{gamma} or pan-RXR antagonists promoted extravillous cytotrophoblast invasion. Furthermore, the pan-RXR antagonist abolished the inhibitory effect of the PPAR{gamma} agonists. Together these data underscore an important function of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers in the modulation of trophoblast invasion.

IMPLANTATION OF THE human conceptus involves invasion of the uterine epithelium and the underlying stroma by extraembryonic trophoblastic cells, which undergo a complex process of proliferation, migration, and differentiation. As the fetal placental cells, named trophoblasts, are in direct contact with maternal blood, the human placenta has been classified as hemomonochorial. One particularity of human placentation is therefore the very high degree of trophoblast invasion during the first trimester (1), unparalleled in other mammals. Indeed, as illustrated in Fig. 1AGo, the cytotrophoblasts located at the tip of the villi contacting the uterine wall proliferate to form multilayered columns of cells that rapidly invade the uterus. These cells, named extravillous cytotrophoblasts (EVCT), invade the decidua and the upper third of the myometrium. EVCT also invade the uterine arterioles and replace the endothelial lining and most of the musculoelastic tissue of the vessel wall. This arteriole remodeling leads to low resistance vessels that provide an adequate supply of maternal blood to the intervillous space necessary for fetal growth (2). Defective invasion of the uterine spiral arteries is directly involved in preeclampsia, a major and frequent complication of human pregnancy with serious fetal and maternal consequences (for review, see Ref. 3). The human trophoblastic invasion, unlike tumor invasion, is precisely regulated. It is temporally restricted to early pregnancy, and it is spatially confined to the endometrium, the first third of the myometrium, and the associated spiral arterioles (4, 5). Therefore, it offers a unique model of a controlled and oriented cell invasion process, which remains poorly understood.



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Figure 1. PPAR{gamma} expression at the implantation site in human first trimester placenta. A, Structure of human placenta implantation site. Cytokeratin 7 staining is specific for trophoblasts through a differentiating pathway from the anchoring villi to the decidua (scale bar, 100 µm). B, PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} immunodetection at the implantation site. Strong staining is observed in the nuclei of the proliferative and intermediate trophoblasts in the proximal and distal columns of the anchoring villi (a and c) and in the EVCT localized in the decidua (b and d). PPAR{gamma} is specifically expressed by trophoblasts, whereas RXR{alpha} is also present in decidual cells (d). No staining is observed in control sections incubated with nonimmune IgG (e and f; scale bar, 100 µm). Results are representative of three different first trimester placental tissues. sc, Stromal core; pc, proximal column; dc, distal column; vct, villous cytotrophoblast; st, syncytiotrophoblast; is, intervillous space; fv, floating villi; av, anchoring villi; evct, extravillous cytotrophoblast; p, proliferative evct; i, invasive evct; e, endovascular evct; d, decidual cell; usa, uterine spiral artery.

 
The PPAR{gamma} is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily that controls the expression of a large array of genes in a ligand-dependent manner. DNA binding of PPAR{gamma} to its response element, composed of a direct repeat of the core hexanucleotide motif AGGTCA with one intervening base, requires obligate heterodimerization with another nuclear receptor, the RXR. PPAR{gamma} controls a broad range of cellular responses, such as differentiation, proliferation, cell death, and inflammation (for review, see Ref. 6). Most importantly, PPAR{gamma} has been shown to be essential for the development of adipose tissue (7, 8, 9), to play a critical role in glucose homeostasis (10), and to inhibit the expression of a number of proinflammatory genes (11, 12). PPAR{gamma} is bound and activated by natural ligands such as fatty acids (13), oxidized low density lipoprotein compounds 11–13-hydroxy octadecadienoic acid (14) and 15-deoxy-{delta}-(12,14)PGJ2 (15D-PGJ2) (15, 16). In addition to15D-PGJ2, synthetic ligands and agonists of PPAR{gamma}, such as the thiazolidinediones, have been developed and used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, PPAR{gamma}/RXR heterodimers can be activated by either selective RXR or PPAR{gamma} ligands; their combination results in an additive or synergistic effect (17, 18).

Recent genetic studies performed in mice established that two nuclear hormone receptors, RXRs, on the one hand, and PPAR{gamma}, on the other hand, are essential for placental development and vasculature. Indeed, RXR{alpha}-/-/RXRß-/- conceptuses fail to develop a normal chorioallantoic placenta with a functional labyrinthine zone, resulting in compromised maternal-fetal exchanges and therefore in early embryonic death (19). Likewise, PPAR{gamma}-/- conceptuses exhibited similar placental agenesis with defects in trophoblast differentiation and vascular processes (7, 8). These studies suggested that PPAR{gamma}/RXR heterodimers might be essential for implantation and the formation of a functional placenta in mice.

Whether PPAR{gamma}/RXR heterodimers also play an essential role in the early development of human placenta remains, however, largely unknown. Due to the specificity of the human placenta, no easily accessible animal models are available to study trophoblast invasion. Hence, we used a recently developed in vitro model to investigate the regulation of human trophoblast differentiation and invasion (20). The present study demonstrates that both PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} are coexpressed in invasive EVCT and that activation of PPAR{gamma} and RXRs inhibits EVCT invasion, whereas their inhibition promotes trophoblast invasion. These data underscore that PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers play a key role in human placentation.

Materials and Methods

Detection of PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} by immunohistochemistry

Placental tissues from first trimester legal induced abortions were obtained from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Broussais and Saint-Vincent de Paul Hospitals. Paraffin tissue sections (4 µm) were prepared as previously described (21). Briefly, monoclonal antibodies against RXR{alpha} (4RX3A2; 4.7 µg/ml total IgG) (22), PPAR{gamma} (2 µg/ml IgG1; E-8, Santa Cruz Biotechnology, Inc., Santa Cruz, CA), and cytokeratin 7 (4.15 µg/ml IgG1; OV-TL 12/30, DAKO Corp., Trappes, France) were diluted in 1% BSA and incubated with the sections overnight at 4 C. Controls were performed by omitting primary antibody or by incubating the sections with nonspecific mouse IgG at the same concentration as the primary antibody. Immunochemical staining was performed using a universal streptavidin-alkaline phosphatase immunostaining kit (Immunotech, Margency, France). Staining was detected with the fast red chromogen after 10 min. Nuclei were counterstained by incubation for 2 min with hematoxylin. Sections were mounted in Gel TOL and were examined and photographed under a microscope (BX60 microscope, Olympus Corp., New Hyde Park, NY).

Isolation and purification of trophoblasts differentiating into EVCT

Chorionic villi from first trimester placental tissues were dissected and incubated in Hanks’ solution containing 0.125% trypsin (Difco Laboratories, Detroit, MI), 4.2 mmol/liter MgSO4, 25 mmol/liter HEPES, and 50 U/ml deoxyribonuclease type IV (Sigma, Saint-Quentin Fallavier, France) for 35 min at 37 C without agitation. After tissue sedimentation, the supernatant was taken and filtered (100-µm pores). HBSS was added to the tissue and sedimented twice. Trypsin digestion was stopped with 5% FCS. Cells were centrifuged at 300 x g for 10 min. Cell suspensions were carefully layered over a discontinuous Percoll gradient and centrifuged for 20 min at 1000 x g. The layer corresponding to 35–45% Percoll was washed with DMEM, diluted to a concentration of 5 x 105 cells/2 ml, and then plated on Matrigel-coated (5 mg/ml; Collaborative Biomedical Products, Le Pont de Claix, France) 35-mm Falcon culture dishes. Cells were maintained in DMEM (Life Technologies, Inc., Grand Island, NY) supplemented with 10% FCS (Biological Industries, Beth Haemek, Israel), 2 mmol/liter glutamine, 25 mmol/liter HEPES, 100 IU/ml penicillin, and 100 µg/ml streptomycin and incubated in 5% CO2 at 37 C. After a 3-h adhesion period, cells were washed three times to eliminate debris and nonadherent cells, then cultured in complete medium. These purified primary EVCT were characterized using immunocytochemistry and real-time PCR as previously described (20). EVCT were shown to express in vitro the specific markers of human invasive trophoblasts described in situ: cytokeratin 7 (23), human leukocyte antigen G (24), human placental lactogen (25), c-erbB2 (26), and {alpha}5-subunit of the fibronectin receptor {alpha}5ß1 (27).

Detection of PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} by immunocytochemistry

Cells were cultured for 48 h, fixed for 20 min in 4% paraformaldehyde and permeabilized for 30 min in 0.3% Triton X-100. After preincubation with 7% sheep serum, monoclonal antibodies against RXR{alpha} (4RX3A2, diluted 1:500) and PPAR{gamma} (E-8, diluted 1:100) were applied overnight at 4 C. Bound antibodies were revealed after a 1-h incubation with a 1:200 dilution of a biotinylated antimouse antibody (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech, Les Ulis, France), followed by a 45-min incubation at room temperature in the dark with a streptavidin-fluorescein complex (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech; 1:500). In all cases, cells were extensively washed with PBS containing 0.1% Tween 20 between steps. Finally, slides were coverslipped in a drop of fluorescent 4'6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (Dapi) mounting medium (Vector Laboratories, Inc., Burlingame, CA) and analyzed under an epifluorescence microscope. To ensure the specificity of the immunological reactions, negative controls were performed by substituting the primary antibodies with a nonimmune mouse serum.

Western blot analysis

Protein preparation and immunoblotting were performed exactly as described previously (28, 29). Whole cell extracts were prepared by four cycles of freezing and thawing in high salt buffer [10 mmol/liter Tris-HCl (pH 8.0), 0.6 mol/liter KCl, and 1.5 mmol/liter EDTA] containing a protease inhibitor cocktail. After centrifugation (30 min at 13,000 rpm), the resulting extract was resolved by SDS-10% PAGE and electrotransferred onto nitrocellulose membrane. The filters were then incubated with PPAR{gamma} (E-8, diluted 1:100) and RXR{alpha} (4RX3A4, 1:500) antibodies as previously described (28, 29), followed by a peroxidase-conjugated antimouse IgG secondary antibody, and developed using an enhanced chemiluminescence kit (Amersham Pharmacia Biotech).

Quantification of specific transcripts by real-time RT-PCR

Total RNA was extracted from 48-h cultured EVCT using QIAGEN RNeasy mini kit (Courtabeuf, France). cDNA synthesis and PCR amplification were performed as described previously (30). All PCR reactions were performed using an ABI PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System (Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA) and the SYBR Green PCR Core Reagents kit (Perkin-Elmer Corp., PE Applied Biosystems). We used the following primers: PPAR{gamma} (+), 5'-AGT GGG GAT GTC TCA TAA TGC C-3'; and PPRAR{gamma} (-), 5'-AGG TCA GCG GAC TCT GGA TTC-3'; RXR{alpha} (+), 5'-CCT TTC TCG GTC ATC AGC TC-3'; RXR{alpha} (-), 5'-CTC GCA GCT GTA CAC TCC AT-3'; PPIA (+), 5'-GTC AAC CCC ACC GTG TTC TT-3'; and peptidylprolyl isomerase A (PPIA) (-), 5'-CTG CTG TCT TTG GGA CCT TGT-3'. The gene PPIA coding for human PPIA (cyclophilin A) was used as the endogenous RNA control, and each sample was normalized on the basis of its PPIA content.

Invasion assays

To assess the invasive potential of cytotrophoblasts, cultured EVCT were plated on Transwell inserts (6.5 mm; Costar, Cambridge, MA) containing polycarbonate filters (8-µm pores) as previously described (31). The upper side was coated with 10 µl 5 mg/ml Matrigel. EVCT (2.5 x 105 cells) were plated in 200 µl DMEM supplemented with 2% FCS, 2 mmol/liter glutamine, 25 mmol/liter HEPES, 100 IU/ml penicillin, and 100 µg/ml streptomycin. Six hundred microliters of the medium supplemented with 20% FCS were added to the well. The cells were treated with the synthetic retinoid RO25-7386 (a pan-RXR agonist) dissolved in ethanol. Cells were also treated with rosiglitazone (BRL 49653, a specific PPAR{gamma} agonist) or 15D-PGJ2 (a PPAR{gamma} ligand) dissolved in dimethylsulfoxide. At the concentrations used, these compounds did not affect cell viability (as tested by blue trypan exclusion), cell morphology, or nuclei condensation and fragmentation (as tested by DAPI staining). To abolish the activity of PPAR{gamma}/RXR heterodimers we used the pan-RXR-selective antagonist RO26-5405 and the partial PPAR{gamma} inhibitor bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE; Fluka, St. Quentin Fallavier, France) (32). Control cultures were treated with the same volume of solvent, ethanol, or dimethylsulfoxide (1%). After 48 h of culture (5% CO2 at 37 C), the Transwell inserts were washed three times with PBS, and cells were fixed for 1 h in 4% paraformaldehyde at 4 C. Samples were rinsed and fixed for 10 min at -20 C in methanol. Cells were incubated with 7% goat serum in PBS for 30 min to reduce nonspecific binding. Cytokeratin 7 antibody (1:200; DAKO Corp., Trappes, France) diluted in PBS containing 1% BSA was added for 2 h at room temperature. Cells were washed in PBS-0.1% Tween and incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated goat antimouse IgG (Jackson ImmunoResearch Laboratories, Inc., West Grove, PA) for 1 h and washed in PBS-0.1% Tween. Filters were dissected with a scalpel, and the upper side of the filter was placed in contact with a SuperFrost slide (Poly Labo, Strasbourg, France), mounted in mounting medium (Vector Laboratories, Inc., Burlingame, CA), and examined and photographed on an Olympus Corp. BX60 epifluorescence microscope.

Scanning electron microscopy

Cells were fixed with 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M cacodylate buffer for 1 h at room temperature. The cultures were then dehydrated with increasing concentrations of acetone and dried with a critical point drying apparatus (Balzers, Fürstentum, Liechtenstein) using acetone and liquid CO2. The dried specimens were coated with a 30-nm layer of gold in a vacuum evaporator.

Statistical analysis

Results are presented as the mean ± SD. Data were analyzed using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis tests for multiple comparisons. Results were considered significant when Mann-Whitney tests had values of P < 0.05.

Results

PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} are expressed in EVCT

In view of the recent data describing a role for PPAR{gamma} in mouse placentation, we first examined by immunohistochemistry, the expression of this receptor in first trimester placenta. Fig. 1BGo (panel a) shows that PPAR{gamma} is specifically expressed in the nuclei of cytotrophoblasts from proximal and distal columns of the anchoring villi. PPAR{gamma} is also expressed in the invasive extravillous cytotrophoblasts present in the decidua, but is, however, absent from decidual cells (Fig. 1BGo, panel b). In contrast to PPAR{gamma}, RXR{alpha} is expressed in both EVCT and decidual cells (Fig. 1BGo, panels c and d). For these studies, cytokeratin 7 was used as a specific trophoblast marker, and cytotrophoblasts were positive through the differentiating pathway (Fig. 1AGo, right panel).

PPAR{gamma} was also detected by immunocytochemistry in the nuclei of EVCT isolated and purified from first trimester placentas (Fig. 2AGo, panel a) and colocalized with the Dapi staining (Fig. 2AGo, panel b). Likewise, RXR{alpha} protein was detected in the nuclei of the EVCTs (Fig. 2AGo, panels e and f). EVCT PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} expressions were confirmed by immunoblotting (Fig. 2BGo, lanes 2 and 4). Surprisingly, PPAR{gamma} levels were higher in EVCT (lane 2) extracts than in differentiated murine 3T3-L1 adipocytes (lane 1), which are known to express high amounts of PPAR{gamma}. Finally, the expression of PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} mRNA was analyzed by real-time RT-PCR in EVCT and fibroblasts isolated from first trimester human placentas. In agreement with the immunohistochemistry and immunoblot results, PPAR{gamma} transcript levels were highly expressed in EVCT cultured for 48 h (PPAR{gamma}/PPIA, 68.37 ± 21.94; mean ± SD of three cultures from three separate placentas) compared with human first trimester placental fibroblasts (4.30 ± 1.38). RXR{alpha} gene expression was also confirmed by RT-PCR (RXR{alpha}/PPIA, 3.77 ± 0.80).



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Figure 2. Purified cultured human EVCT coexpressed PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha}. A, Immunolocalization of PPAR{gamma} (a) and RXR{alpha} (e) in the nuclei of ECVT after 48 h of culture. No staining was observed when incubated with nonimmune antibodies (c and g). Nuclei were counterstained with Dapi (b, d, f, and h; scale bar, 100 µm). B, Immunoblot analysis of PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} expression in EVCT after 48 h of culture. EVCT (line 2) strongly express a 50-kDa protein similar to the PPAR{gamma} protein present in 3T3-L1 adipocytes cells used as a positive control (line 1). RXR{alpha} (54 kDa) was also present in EVCT lysates (line 4) and was weakly expressed by placental fibroblasts (line 3; scale bar, 100 µm). Results are representative of three different cultures of EVCT obtained from three different first trimester placentas.

 
EVCT invasion is abrogated by PPAR{gamma} and RXR agonists and is increased by PPAR{gamma} and RXR antagonists

An in vitro cell culture model of purified EVCT cells has been developed in our laboratory to study early human placental function (20). As EVCT are able to invade an extracellular matrix in vitro, cellular invasion was therefore analyzed using Matrigel-coated Transwells (Fig. 3AGo). In such a system, the EVTC present in the upper well invade the Matrigel and emit pseudopods through the membrane pores. These invading trophoblasts can be visualized and quantified by immunostaining with cytokeratin 7 antibodies and counterstaining with Dapi (Fig. 3BGo) or by scanning electron microscopy (Fig. 3CGo). Figure 3DGo illustrates the modulation of trophoblast invasion after different treatments (see figure legend).



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Figure 3. In vitro model for studying trophoblast invasion. A, Scheme of a Matrigel-coated Transwell used for invasion assay. B, Invasion assay. EVCT were immunostained using anti-cytokeratin 7 antibodies, and nuclei were counterstained with Dapi. The inferior side of the membrane faces up. Left, Cells above the membrane are focused; right, pseudopods and porous membrane are focused. Pseudopods and cells crossing the 8-µm diameter pores of the membrane were quantified and normalized to the number of nuclei. C, Sight of the inferior side of the porous membrane, EVCT, and pseudopods by scanning electron microscopy. p, Pore; ps, pseudopod; pm, porous membrane. D, Sight of the inferior side of the porous membrane and number of EVCT pseudopods after no treatment (control) and after incubation with 1 µmol/liter BRL 49653 or 1 µmol/liter pan-RXR antagonist.

 
RXR{alpha} and PPAR{gamma} being strongly expressed in cultured EVCT, we next investigated whether their activation or inhibition might alter the invasive properties of EVCT. Therefore, EVCT were cultivated in the above in vitro system and treated with PPAR{gamma} and pan-RXR agonists either alone or in combination. Two PPAR{gamma} agonists, rosiglitazone (BRL 49653) and 15D-PGJ2, were tested at concentrations ranging from 0.1–10 µmol/liter. These two PPAR{gamma} agonists inhibited trophoblastic invasion at 48 h, with a maximal inhibition of about 50% at 1 µmol/liter for BRL 49653 and 10 µmol/liter for 15D-PGJ2 (Fig. 4AGo). In contrast, the pan-RXR agonist did not significantly affect EVCT invasion (Fig. 4AGo). However, the combination of this pan-RXR agonist with the PPAR{gamma} agonist, both used at a suboptimal concentration (0.1 µmol/liter) that on its own has no effect, resulted in a clear inhibition of EVCT invasion (Fig. 4BGo), indicating that these ligands can synergize. Thus, according to these observations, activation of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers appears to inhibit EVCT invasion.



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Figure 4. Effects of PPAR{gamma} and pan-RXR agonists on EVCT invasion. EVCT were cultured on Matrigel-coated Transwells for 48 h, and invasion was quantified as described in Fig. 3Go. Results are expressed as the number of pseudopods per number of nuclei relative to control. A, EVCT were incubated with increasing concentrations of BRL 49653, 15D-PGJ2 or RXR agonist. B, EVCT were incubated with 0.1 µmol/liter RXR agonist and 0.1 µmol/liter BRL 49653, used alone or in combination. Results represent the mean ± SD of triplicate determinations from a representative experiment (RXR agonist dose-response curve) or the mean ± SD of at least three independent cultures obtained from different placentas for all other conditions. *, P < 0.05, treated vs. control; §, P < 0.05, BRL plus RXR agonist vs. BRL or vs. RXR agonist.

 
We next analyzed whether inhibiting PPAR{gamma} and/or RXR had the opposite effect on trophoblast invasion. Individually, the partial PPAR{gamma} antagonist BADGE (50 µmol/liter) (32) and the pan-RXR antagonist (1 µmol/liter) increased trophoblast invasion by about 50%. When combined, the two antagonists increased trophoblast invasion by the same order of magnitude (Fig. 5AGo). It must be noted that the pan-RXR antagonist reversed the inhibitory effect of the PPAR{gamma} agonists (1 µmol/liter BRL 49653 or 10 µmol/liter 15D-PGJ2) on EVCT invasion (Fig. 5BGo). It also reversed the inhibitory effect of the PPAR{gamma}/pan-RXR agonist combination (Fig. 5BGo).



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Figure 5. Effects of PPAR{gamma} and pan-RXR antagonists on EVCT invasion. EVCT were cultured on Matrigel-coated Transwells for 48 h, and invasion was quantified as described in Fig. 3Go. Results are expressed as the number of pseudopods per number of nuclei relative to the control. A, Effects of the pan-RXR antagonist (used at 1 µmol/liter) and the partial PPAR{gamma} antagonist (BADGE used at 50 µmol/liter) alone or in combination on EVCT invasion. B, EVCT were treated with 1 µmol/liter BRL 49653, the combination of BRL 49653 and RXR agonist (both used at 0.1 µmol/liter), or 10 µmol/liter 15D-PGJ2 in the presence ({blacksquare}) or absence ({square}) of the pan-RXR antagonist (1 µmol/liter). Results represent the mean ± SD from a representative experiment performed in triplicate of at least three independent cultures obtained from different placentas.

 
Discussion

During the early stage of human implantation, trophoblast differentiation occurs along two main pathways, villous and extravillous. The syncytiotrophoblast, which results from the fusion of villous cytotrophoblasts, is bathed in maternal blood and is the endocrine unit of the human placenta. In contrast, extravillous cytotrophoblasts migrate deep into the uterine mucosa as far as the myometrium and invade the decidua and the uterine arterioles (33). Recent studies have shown that activation of either RXR (34, 35) or PPAR{gamma} (36) stimulates villous trophoblast differentiation and endocrine function. In the present study performed in first trimester human placentas, we demonstrate that PPAR{gamma} coexpresses with RXR{alpha} in the nuclei of extravillous cytotrophoblasts from proximal and distal columns of the anchoring villi. Therefore, it corroborates previous reports describing the expression of PPAR{gamma} in extravillous cytotrophoblasts from second trimester (37) and in villous cytotrophoblasts from term placentas (36). In fact, the interesting feature of our study is the observation that PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} are also coexpressed in the invasive EVCT present in the decidua. Moreover, the finding that, in contrast to RXR{alpha}, PPAR{gamma} is specifically expressed in EVCT and is absent from the decidual cells underscored that this nuclear receptor might play an important role in EVCT invasion.

As PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} were also found to be strongly expressed in purified human EVCT isolated from first trimester placenta and maintained in primary culture, we applied the in vitro cell culture model of EVCT that we recently developed (20) to investigate the eventual role of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers in EVCT invasion in vitro. By using such a model, we found that both synthetic (rosiglitazone) and natural (15D-PGJ2) PPAR{gamma} agonists inhibit trophoblast invasion. In contrast, these two PPAR{gamma} agonists were shown to have opposite effects on villous trophoblast differentiation (36). In the present study it is particularly noteworthy that at suboptimal concentrations rosiglitazone acts synergistically with a pan-RXR agonist, as previously described in other cell types (17, 18). Reciprocally, PPAR{gamma} and pan-RXR antagonists promote EVCT invasion and reverse the agonist-induced inhibition. Such results are consistent with the conclusion that the PPAR{gamma} and RXR{alpha} partners in PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers cooperate to modulate EVCT invasion.

According to these results, it appears that activation of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers represses EVCT invasion. Therefore, the amount of PPAR{gamma} and RXR ligands synthesized by trophoblasts may play a key role in the control of human placental invasion. Although the RXR and PPAR{gamma} ligands present in placenta have not been extensively investigated, some studies performed in mammals, including humans, strongly suggest that trophoblast and decidual cells synthesize all-trans-retinoic acid and its 9-cis isomer, the natural ligand for RXR (38, 39). The production of PPAR{gamma} ligands such as PGs is also likely, as human endometrium and decidua express cyclooxygenase and produce PGs (40). The placental tissue also produces considerable amounts of PGs (41, 42, 43) and contains various lipids (44, 45). Thus, cells from maternal and/or fetal origin may negatively control trophoblastic invasion through the production of PPAR{gamma} and/or RXR ligands and the subsequent synergistic activation of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers. Consequently, one can hypothesize that abnormal increases in the production of such ligands (i.e. PGs) can alter trophoblast invasion and generate human pregnancy diseases such as preeclampsia.

Finally, according to the present study PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers can be added to the growing list of transcriptional regulators that control human cytotrophoblast differentiation and invasion. Such transcription factors, which include the basic helix-loop-helix transcriptions factors such as Mash-2 (46) and Gcm1 (47), the homeobox gene (48) and members of the Id family (Id-2) (49) control an array of downstream effectors such as the trophoblast major histocompatibility antigen HLA-G (50), adhesion molecules (27), proteinases, and proteinases inhibitors (51). Accordingly, PPAR{gamma} has been demonstrated to modulate the expression of proinflammatory genes such as matrix metalloproteinases (12, 52, 53) and to control cell motility and invasion in normal and tumor cells (46, 54). To determine whether PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers control the expression of proteinases during trophoblast invasion requires additional studies.

In conclusion, our results clearly indicate that activation of PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers abrogates the invasive properties of EVCT, whereas inhibition of these heterodimers promotes invasion. Therefore, the present data demonstrate that PPAR{gamma}/RXR{alpha} heterodimers play a key role in early human placentation through the control of trophoblast invasion and extend the observations that PPAR{gamma}- or RXR{alpha}-deficient mice have severe abnormalities in placental development.

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Leibowitz (Ligand, San Diego, CA) for the BRL 49653, and Dr. Kalus (Hoffman-LaRoche Inc., Basel, Switzerland) for the RO26-5405 and the RO25-7386. We also thank the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Broussais and Saint-Vincent Hospitals (Paris, France), for donating placental tissues. We are grateful to V. Tricottet and R. Lai Kuen for scanning electron microscopy, C. Nessman for providing tissue sections, and Prof. M. Vidaud for real-time PCR.

Footnotes

This work was supported by Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, INSERM, Hôpital Universitaire de Strasbourg, Association pour la Recherche sur le Cancer (Contract 9943), the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation (1-1999-819), the European Community RTD Program (QLG1-CT-1999-00674), and the Human Frontier Science Program (RG0041/1999-M).

Abbreviations: BADGE, Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether; Dapi, 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole; EVCT, extravillous cytotrophoblast; 15D-PGJ2, 15-deoxy-{delta}-(12,14)PGJ2; PPIA, peptidylprolylisomerase A.

Received May 7, 2001.

Accepted July 1, 2001.

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