title: Dlx3 and GCM-1 functionally coordinate the regulation of placental growth factor in human trophoblast-derived cells.
abstract: Placental growth factor (PGF) is abundantly expressed by trophoblast cells within human placentae and is important for trophoblast development and placental vascularization. Circulating maternal serum levels of PGF are dynamically upregulated across gestation in normal pregnancies, whereas low circulating levels and placental production of PGF have been implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia and other gestational diseases. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of regulating PGF expression in the human placenta remains poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated that transcription factors Distal-less 3 (DLX3) and Glial cell missing-1 (GCM1) were both sufficient and required for PGF expression in human trophoblast-derived cells by overexpression and knockdown approaches. Surprisingly, while DLX3 and GCM1 were both positive regulators of PGF, co-overexpression of DLX3 and GCM1 led to an antagonist effect on PGF expression on the endogenous gene and a luciferase reporter. Further, deletion and site-directed mutagenesis studies identified a novel regulatory element on the PGF promoter mediating both DLX3- and GCM1-dependent PGF expression. This regulatory region was also found to be essential for the basal activity of the PGF promoter. Finally, Chromatin-immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays revealed colocalization of DLX3 and GCM1 at the identified regulatory region on the PGF promoter. Taken together, our studies provide important insights into intrinsic regulation of human placental PGF expression through the functional coordination of DLX3 and GCM1, and are likely to further the understanding of pathogenesis of PGF dysregulation in preeclampsia and other disease conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
authors.forename: Sha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York.
authors.forename: Mark S
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5317-810X
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Roberson
mesh_terms: D001665:Binding Sites; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004742:Enhancer Elements, Genetic; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D034622:RNA Interference; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014162:Transfection; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C088334:Distal-less homeobox proteins; C491089:GCM1 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; C000608036:PGF protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000072483:Placenta Growth Factor
keywords: Distal-less 3; Glial cell missing-1; Placental Growth Factor; gene regulation