Trophoblast StarD7 expression in response to cell injury

FLORES MARTIN J; RACCA A; RENA VC; REYNA L; RIDANO, M.E; CRUZ DEL PUERTO M; PANZETTA DUTARI G; GENTI RAIMONDI S

Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires

Congreso; VI SLIMP | V LASRI: Interacción Materno-Fetal: Desde la Fertilización hasta la Próxima Generación; 2015

Sociedad Latinoamericana de Interacción Materno-Fetal y Placenta

StarD7 encodes an intracellular lipid transport protein initially identified as an up-regulated gene in the choriocarcinoma JEG-3 cell line. So far it is unclear how changes in the placental environment affect StarD7 expression.Objectives: This work was performed to investigate StarD7 expression in trophoblast cells: a) under hypoxic-reoxygenation conditions and b) in a nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) loss- and gain-of-function studies.Methods: HTR8/SVneo cells were exposed to hypoxia for 1 h and then reoxygenated for 1, 2, or 3 h. In addition, Nrf2 loss- and gain-of-function assays were performed in JEG-3 cells by transfection with a specific siRNA or an expression vector, respectively. Western blot, immunofluorescence and qRT-PCR were used to explore protein and transcript expression.Results: StarD7 protein expression increased in response to hypoxia and reoxygenation exposure for 1, 2, or 3 h. Moreover, reoxygenation resulted in the upregulation of Nrf2 at both mRNA and protein levels, and in heme oxygenase-1 mRNA expression (encoding a phase II detoxifying enzyme). Furthermore, Nrf2 cell transfection assays increased StarD7 expression. In contrast, knocking down Nrf2 led to a diminished StarD7 transcript level indicating that these genes are positively correlated.Conclusions: These results suggest that StarD7 is a target gene of oxidative stress response. Current studies are being conducted to validate StarD7 as a useful marker of placental cell injury.