Toggle Main Menu Toggle Search

Open Access padlockePrints

Vascular endothelial growth factor is a chemoattractant for trophoblast cells

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Gendie Lash

Downloads

Full text for this publication is not currently held within this repository. Alternative links are provided below where available.


Abstract

A role for angiogenic growth factors in trophoblast invasion has been postulated. Directional motility (chemotaxis) is an important function of trophoblast cells. We have previously shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) increases the random movement of trophoblast cells although placental growth factor (PIGF) has no effect. Heparin inhibited this effect of VEGF. Motility of trophoblast cells has been proposed to be mediated by a nitric oxide (NO) pathway. We hypothesized that VEGF but not PIGF would be chemotactic for trophoblast cells. Chemotaxis of a first trimester extravillous trophoblast cell line, SGHPL-4, and primary isolates of first trimester and term trophoblast cells was measured using a Boyden chamber. Initial experiments to optimize the time of the experiment and identify a positive control were performed. Subsequent experiments ran for 20 h, used 0.5 per cent FBS or 10 ng/ml PDGF as negative and positive controls and were performed in triplicate. VEGF (1, 10 and 100 ng/ml +/- 1 mug/ml heparin or +/- 100 mum L-NAME) and PIGF (1, 10, 100 ng/ml) were tested. The chamber was placed in a 5 per cent CO2 in air, 37degreesC incubator. The number of cells in the lower chamber were counted. There was a dose dependent increase in chemotactic motility of the SGHPL-4 cell line and term trophoblast cells in response to VEGF. PIGF had no effect on the movement of the first trimester trophoblast cell line but did increase the motility of the term trophoblast cells in a dose dependent manner. Heparin increased the cellular motility of both cell types alone. It also further enhanced the chemoactivity of VEGF on the term trophoblast cells but not the cell line. L-NAME did not affect the VEGF-stimulated motility of the first trimester cell line. However, in the term trophoblast cells L-NAME increased the directional cellular motility in the absence of, or in the presence of low concentrations of VEGF. In conclusion, the first trimester and term trophoblast cells appeared to respond differently to the various factors tested in the present study that may reflect differential cellular function as gestation progresses. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Lash GE, Warren AY, Underwood S, Baker PN

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Placenta

Year: 2003

Volume: 24

Issue: 5

Pages: 549-556

ISSN (print): 0143-4004

ISSN (electronic): 1532-3102

Publisher: Elsevier

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1053/plac.2002.0923

DOI: 10.1053/plac.2002.0923


Altmetrics

Altmetrics provided by Altmetric


Share