5-Aza-dC treatment induces mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition in 1st trimester trophoblast cell line HTR8/SVneo.

ABSTRACT: Placental trophoblast invasion involves a cellular transition from epithelial to mesenchymal phenotype. Cytotrophoblasts undergo epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) when differentiating into extravillous trophoblasts and gaining the capacity of invasion. In this research, we investigated the role of DNA methylation in trophoblasts during this EMT. First, using BeWo and HTR8/SVneo cell lines as models of cytotrophoblasts and extravillous trophoblasts, respectively, we analyzed the gene expression and DNA methylation status of the known epithelial marker genes, E-Cadherin and Cytokeratin7. We found that, in HTR8/SVneo cells, both genes were silenced and their promoters hypermethylated, as compared with the high-level gene expression and promoter hypomethylation observed in BeWo cells.

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3593992 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature