title: Death-inducing tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily ligands and receptors are transcribed in human placentae, cytotrophoblasts, placental macrophages and placental cell lines.
abstract: Human placentae and two of the cell types in placentae (cytotrophoblasts and macrophages) were examined by RT-PCR for transcripts of the eight TNF superfamily ligands known to induce death of activated immune cells, tumour cells, and virus-infected cells (TNFalpha, LT alpha, LT beta, FasL, TRAIL, TWEAK, LIGHT, 4-1BBL). Transcripts for all ligands were detected in term placenta but LT alpha and 4-1BBL were not detected in first trimester placenta. Although term cytotrophoblasts contained mRNAs specific for TNF alpha, LT alpha, TWEAK, and 4-1BBL, messages encoding LT beta, FasL, TRAIL, and LIGHT were absent. In term placental macrophages, messages for all ligands except 4-1BBL were present. Transcripts for the 14 receptors to which the ligands bind, six of which contain death-domains (TNFR1, Fas, DR3, DR4, DR5, DR6), were also identified using RT-PCR. Term and first trimester placentae contained transcripts for all receptors except 4-1BB. Although term cytotrophoblasts lacked receptor mRNA encoding 4-1BB and OPG, term placental macrophages lacked DcR1 and OPG. Detection of nearly all the death-inducing TNF superfamily ligands and their receptors in human placentae implies that these powerful cytokines contribute to programmed or activated cell death in this organ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66160-7400, USA.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Phillips
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Hunt
mesh_terms: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016923:Cell Death; D002460:Cell Line; D002822:Choriocarcinoma; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000235:genetics; D053308:Lymphotoxin-beta; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010920:Placenta / Q000737:chemistry*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000737:chemistry; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D053326:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics*; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms
chemical_list: D053330:4-1BB Ligand; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D000074049:Cytokine TWEAK; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505886:LTB protein, human; D008024:Ligands; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D053308:Lymphotoxin-beta; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; C109743:TNFSF12 protein, human; C505914:TNFSF14 protein, human; C505974:TNFSF9 protein, human; D053326:Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 14; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048069:Tumor Necrosis Factors