title: Prostate-specific antigen synthesis and secretion by human placenta: a physiological kallikrein source during pregnancy.
abstract: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), a kallikrein-like serine protease until recently thought to be prostate specific, has been demonstrated in various nonprostatic tissues and body fluids. PSA has been also found in human endometrium and amniotic fluids, even if the significance of this novel expression is unclear. In this study, we have demonstrated by multiple techniques that human placental tissue, obtained at delivery from normal full-term pregnancies, synthesizes and secretes PSA. RT-PCR showed the presence of PSA messenger ribonucleic acid; biochemical, chromatographic, and immunological studies revealed the expression of both free and complexed PSA forms; immunoelectron microscopy indicated the syncytiotrophoblast as the site of PSA synthesis and secretion. Moreover, in vitro experiments demonstrated that PSA production and secretion are up-regulated by 17beta-estradiol, a pregnancy-related steroid hormone. These results suggest that human placenta is a source of the PSA present in amniotic fluid and maternal serum during pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Istologia and Analisi di Laboratorio, Facoltà di Scienze MFN, Università degli Studi di Urbino, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malatesta
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mannello
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Luchetti
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marcheggiani
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Condemi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Papa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gazzanelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007610:Kallikreins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016253:Microscopy, Immunoelectron; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D010920:Placenta / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012313:RNA / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D004958:Estradiol; D012313:RNA; D007610:Kallikreins; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen