title: Psg22 expression in mouse trophoblast giant cells is associated with gene inversion and co-expression of antisense long non-coding RNAs.
abstract: Pregnancy-specific glycoproteins (PSGs) are secreted carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA)-related cell adhesion molecules-related members of the immunoglobulin superfamily and are encoded by multigene families in species with haemochorial placentation. PSGs may be the most abundant trophoblast-derived proteins in human maternal blood in late pregnancy and there is evidence that dysregulation of PSG expression is associated with gestational pathology. PSGs are produced by syncytiotrophoblast in the human placenta and by trophoblast giant cells (TGCs) and spongiotrophoblast in rodents, and are implicated in immune regulation, angiogenesis and regulation of platelet function. PSGs are encoded by 17 genes in the mouse and ten genes in the human. While functions appear to be conserved, the typical protein domain organisation differs between species. We analysed the evolution of the mouse Psg genomic locus structure and report inversion of the Psg22 gene within the locus. Psg22 is the most abundant Psg transcript detected in the first half of mouse pregnancy and we identified antisense long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) transcripts adjacent to Psg22 associated with an active local chromatin conformation. This suggests that an epigenetic regulatory mechanism may underpin high Psg22 expression relative to the other Psg gene family members in TGCs.
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyUniversity College Cork, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, IrelandDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK School of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyUniversity College Cork, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, IrelandDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyUniversity College Cork, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, IrelandDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyUniversity College Cork, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, IrelandDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: School of Biochemistry and Cell BiologyUniversity College Cork, Western Gateway Building, Western Road, Cork, IrelandDepartment of Biology and BiochemistryUniversity of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath BA2 7AY, UK t.moore@ucc.ie.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002843:Chromatin / Q000235:genetics; D007446:Chromosome Inversion; D019295:Computational Biology; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015726:Giant Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010802:Phylogeny; D010920:Placenta / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D011132:Polyribosomes / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016372:RNA, Antisense / Q000235:genetics*; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D051381:Rats; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002843:Chromatin; D017931:DNA Primers; D006023:Glycoproteins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C513830:Psg-22 protein, mouse; D016372:RNA, Antisense; D062085:RNA, Long Noncoding; D012333:RNA, Messenger