Elevated expression of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V in first trimester human placenta.
In early pregnancy, placental trophoblast cells rapidly grow and invade into maternal uterine tissue. N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GnT-V) and its product, beta1-6-GlcNAc branching glycan, are known to correlate with tumor invasion and metastasis. Since the placentation process resembles invasion of cancer cells, we examined the expression of beta1-6-GlcNAc branching glycan and GnT-V in human placenta. Placentas derived from the first trimester contained a larger amount of beta1-6-GlcNAc branching glycan, detected by leukoagglutinating phytohemagglutinin lectin blotting, than those at term. Immunohistochemical study revealed that beta1-6-GlcNAc branching glycans and GnT-V protein were localized in the trophoblast layer. Both protein expression and the enzyme activity of GnT-V in first trimester placentas were higher than those at term. These results suggest that GnT-V would contribute to placentation in the early phase of pregnancy, possibly regulating the process of invasion of trophoblast cells.
Tomiie
Mari
M
Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Specific Organ Regulation, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita City, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
Isaka
Shigeyuki
S
Miyoshi
Eiji
E
Taniguchi
Naoyuki
N
Kimura
Tadashi
T
Ogita
Kazuhide
K
Tsutsui
Tateki
T
Shimoya
Koichiro
K
Nakagawa
Takatoshi
T
Kondo
Akihiro
A
Koyama
Masayasu
M
Murata
Yuji
Y
D000373:Agglutinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017351:N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First / Q000378:metabolism*
D000373:Agglutinins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D017351:N-Acetylglucosaminyltransferases; C052254:alpha-1,6-mannosylglycoprotein beta 1,6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase