title: Localization of stem cell factor (SCF) and c-kit mRNA in human placental tissue and biological effects of SCF on DNA synthesis in primary cultured cytotrophoblasts.
abstract: The supernatant of homogenized human placental tissues at early and late stages of pregnancy were found to contain 40-100 pg of stem cell factor (SCF)/mg of total protein by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. When the SCF mRNA expression was examined by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), the secretory type and membrane-bound type SCF mRNA were detected in the human placental tissues in the early stages of pregnancy and in a human placental cell line;tPA30-1 cells. However, the secretory type SCF mRNA was predominant and membrane-bound type SCF mRNA was absent or very weak in the term placental tissues. When the distribution of SCF mRNA and c-kit mRNA in the placental tissues was examined by in situ hybridization, SCF mRNA was detected in the cytotrophoblast, the intermediate trophoblastic cell column and the stromal cells, while c-kit mRNA was detected in the cytotrophoblast and the intermediate trophoblastic cell column. Both c-kit and SCF mRNA were absent or very weak in the syncytiotrophoblasts. The supernatant of primary cultured cytotrophoblasts and tPA30-1 cells were found to contain SCF. In cytotrophoblasts in the early stage of pregnancy cultured in the presence of recombinant human secretory type SCF, DNA synthesis was increased depending on the SCF concentration. These findings indicate that SCF is a cytokine which promotes the growth of placental cells by the autocrine and paracrine mechanism.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nara Medical University, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Enomoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakakura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ishii
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sudo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ichijo
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002460:Cell Line; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011247:Pregnancy; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016298:Hematopoietic Cell Growth Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016184:Receptors, Colony-Stimulating Factor; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D004247:DNA; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases