Korean J Phys Anthropol.  2003 Sep;16(3):189-196.

The Protective Effects of FGF-4 on Hypoxia-mediated Apoptosis of Trophoblast Stem Cells

• Lee H
• Kim H
• Oh J

Abstract

Preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction are conditions associated with placental hypoperfusion and villous hypoxia. The villous response to this environment includes elevated apoptosis. Recently, trophoblast stem (TS) cells had been successfully derived. FGF-4 locates in the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocyst and TS cells have fibroblast growth factor receptor-2 (FGFR-2). To identify whether FGF-4 protects hypoxia-induced apoptosis in TS cells, this study was carried out. TS cells were cultured up to 48 h in standard (PO2 = 20%) or hypoxic (PO2 = 3%) conditions. TS cells were very vulnerable against exposure to hypoxia for 48 h but embryonic stem (ES) cells were very resistant to hypoxiamediated apoptosis. Death of TS cells bears the typical hallmarks of apoptosis as determined by DNA laddering. FGF- 4 and epidermal growth factor (EGF) protected the hypoxia-mediated cell death of trophoblast but granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMSF) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) did not protect. In conclusion, we speculate that the effects of FGF-4 on apoptosis in trophoblasts may play an important role in protecting the placenta from hypoxic injury in pregnancy related with placental hypoperfusion.

Keyword

FGF-4; Trophoblast stem cells; Hypoxia; Apoptosis

MeSH Terms

Anoxia
Apoptosis*
Blastocyst
Cell Death
Colony-Stimulating Factors
DNA
Epidermal Growth Factor
Fetal Development
Fibroblast Growth Factors
Placenta
Pre-Eclampsia
Pregnancy
Stem Cells*
Trophoblasts*
Colony-Stimulating Factors
DNA
Epidermal Growth Factor
Fibroblast Growth Factors