title: RNA interference-induced reduction in CD98 expression suppresses cell fusion during syncytialization of human placental BeWo cells.
abstract: The physiological importance of CD98 surface antigen in regulating placental trophoblast cell fusion has been studied in a cell model of syncytialization (the cytotrophoblast cell line BeWo following increased intracellular cAMP by forskolin treatment) using RNA interference. CD98 protein abundance (determined by Western blot) was decreased by 40-50% following double-stranded small interfering RNA transfection. Cell fusion (determined by quantitative flow cytometry) was similarly inhibited and human chorionic gonadotropin secretion was suppressed. These findings show that CD98 is involved in the process of cell fusion necessary for syncytiotrophoblast formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Kasumi 1-2-3, Hiroshima 734-8551, Japan. yoshkudo@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Yoshiki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kudo
authors.forename: C A R
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Boyd
mesh_terms: D015153:Blotting, Western; D002450:Cell Communication / Q000187:drug effects*; D002459:Cell Fusion; D002460:Cell Line; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000378:metabolism; D002999:Clone Cells; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D027261:Fusion Regulatory Protein-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D034622:RNA Interference; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000378:metabolism; D014162:Transfection; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D027261:Fusion Regulatory Protein-1; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D005576:Colforsin; D000242:Cyclic AMP