Medizinische Universität Graz - Research portal
Selected Publication:
Auinger, L.
The Expression of the NR4A Receptors in the Forskolin Treated BeWo Cell Line.
[ Diplomarbeit/Master Thesis (UNI) ] University of Graz; 2018.
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- Authors Med Uni Graz:
- Advisor:
- Gauster Martin
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- Abstract:
- Nuclear orphan receptors of the subfamily 4A (NR4A1, NR4A2, NR4A3) are transcription factors of early response genes, which bind ligand independently to the DNA, thereby influencing cell cycle, differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. These receptors are expressed in all human tissues, including placental tissue, influencing important cell differentiation processes, like the formation of the syncytiotrophoblast. The latter represents the outermost layer of the placental villous tissue, which establishes nutrient circulation between the mother and the embryo. Defective formation of said multinucleated tissue has tremendous consequences for the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the foetus. Thus, diseases like preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction have their underlying causes in the deficient formation of the placental tissue. A better understanding of underlying pathways in the placental development could be achieved by the investigation of the NR4A subfamily. This might help to better understand diseases linked to a defective syncytiotrophoblast. The NR4A receptor family may also play an important role in cellular inflammatory processes. They are strongly induced in activated immune cells during inflammation processes, indicating their relevance in life threatening diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of forskolin induced cell fusion on the NR4A expression in vitro, utilising the trophoblast derived BeWo cell line. Regarding different time points and the resulting increasing intercellular fusion of forskolin-stimulated trophoblast cells, an increase in cell adhesion, cell fusion and trophoblast fusion markers (GCM1, SYN1, SYN2, βhCG) and NR4A expression was detected. In addition, the effect of the overexpression of NR4A1 and NR4A3 showed no induction on the trophoblast differentiation and fusion process.