Epigenetic Changes Regulating Epithelial-Mesenchymal Plasticity in Human Trophoblast Differentiation.

ABSTRACT: The phenotype of human placental extravillous trophoblast (EVT) at the end of pregnancy reflects both differentiation from villous cytotrophoblast (CTB) and later gestational changes, including loss of proliferative and invasive capacity. Invasion abnormalities are central to major obstetric pathologies, including placenta accreta spectrum, early onset preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction. Characterization of the normal differentiation processes is, thus, essential for the analysis of these pathologies. Our gene expression analysis, employing purified human CTB and EVT cells, demonstrates a mechanism similar to the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which underlies CTB-EVT differentiation. In parallel, DNA methylation profiling shows that CTB cells, already hypomethylated relat

SUBMITTER: Ackerman Iv WE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12249213 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature