This Article Full Text (PDF) Submit a related Letter to the Editor Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Copyright Permission Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by PLOUZEK, C. A. Articles by CHOU, J. Y. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by PLOUZEK, C. A. Articles by CHOU, J. Y.

Isolation and Characterization of a Human Amnion Epithelial Cell Line That Expresses the Pregnancy-Specific β₁-Glycoprotein Gene^*

Human Genetics Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland 20892

Address all correspondence and requests for reprints to: Dr. Janice Yang Chou, Building 10, Room 9S–242, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892.

Abstract

Human pregnancy-specific β¹-glycoprotein (PSG) is a family of closely related glycoproteins of 72K, 64K, 62K, and 54K. Together with the carcinoembryonic antigen, they form new members of the immunoglobulin superfamily. To study the molecular mechanisms that regulate expression of the PSG gene, we established a human amnion cell line, HAA58OD- 8C, immortalized with an origin-defective simian virus-40 (SV40) temperature-sensitive A58 mutant virus. HAA58OD-8C cells were temperature sensitive for maintenance of transformation and expressed genes encoding PSG and the - and β-subunits of hCG. At the permissive temperature (33 C; transformed phenotype), they expressed low levels of PSG, hCG, and hCGβ mRNAs and synthesized low levels of a 48K PSG polypeptide. At the nonpermissive temperature (39.5 C), HAA58OD-8C cells exhibited a differentiated phenotype, expressed increased levels of PSG, hCG, and hCGβ mRNAs, and produced high levels of PSG polypeptides of 72K and 48K. Sodium butyrate induced PSG mRNA expression, and in the presence of butyrate, HAA58OD-8C cells produced high amounts of PSG polypeptides of 72K, 62K, and 48K. Ribonuclease protection analysis indicated that similar PSG transcripts were expressed by HAA58OD-8C cells and human term placenta. However, these amnion cells expressed selectively a certain population of PSG transcripts. Our results show that this amnion cell line provides a suitable model for studies of PSG gene expression and regulation.

Footnotes

^* This work was performed while C.A.P. held a National Research Council (Human Genetics Branch, NICHHD) research associateship.

Received March 15, 1991.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				I. Nabi, A. Mathews, L Cohen-Gould, D Gundersen, and E Rodriguez-Boulan Immortalization of polarized rat retinal pigment epithelium J. Cell Sci., January 1, 1993; 104(1): 37 - 49. [Abstract] [PDF]