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Expression of Autotaxin, an Ectoenzyme that Produces Lysophosphatidic Acid, in Human Placenta |
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| Authors: | Yuki Iwasawa Tomoyuki Fujii Takeshi Nagamatsu Kei Kawana Shinichi Okudaira Shiho Miura Junko Matsumoto Ayako Tomio Hironobu Hyodo Takahiro Yamashita Katsutoshi Oda Shiro Kozuma Junken Aoki Yutaka Yatomi Yuji Taketani |
| Affiliation: | Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan;; Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan;; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan |
| Abstract: | Problem Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a bioactive lipid mediator and thought to play an important role in pregnancy. Plasma LPA is produced by autotaxin (ATX), and ATX activity in plasma increases during pregnancy paralleled with gestational weeks and decreases to near the non-pregnant level soon after delivery. However, the source of increased ATX during pregnancy is still uncertain. We hypothesized that the source of increased ATX might be placenta. Method of study We investigated the protein and mRNA expression of ATX in human placenta using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, respectively. Results At all 3 gestational trimesters, immunohistochemical staining for placenta tissues revealed the most marked positive staining of ATX protein in trophoblasts. Real-time PCR revealed that mRNA amounts of ATX in placenta tissues paralleled with gestational weeks, i.e. ATX level in plasma. Conclusion These findings suggest that trophoblasts might produce ATX and its bioactive resultant substance, LPA, paralleled with gestational weeks. |
| Keywords: | Autotaxin lysophosphatidic acid lysophospholipase D placenta pregnancy trophoblast |