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Human endogenous retrovirus-W envelope (syncytin) is expressed in both villous and extravillous trophoblast populations

A. Muir^1,

¹ Research Group in Human Reproductive Immunobiology, Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK
² Department of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Level 5, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2QQ, UK

Correspondence
A. Moffett
am485{at}cam.ac.uk

The placenta is unique amongst normal tissues in transcribing numerous different human endogenous retroviruses at high levels. In this study, RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were used to investigate the expression of syncytin in human trophoblast. Syncytin transcripts were found in first-trimester trophoblast cells with both villous and extravillous phenotypes and also in the JAR and JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cell lines. Syncytin protein was detected in villous trophoblast and in all extravillous trophoblast subpopulations of first- and second-trimester placental tissues. It was also present in ectopic trophoblast from tubal implantations. This study confirms that syncytin is expressed widely by a variety of normal human trophoblast populations, as well as choriocarcinoma cell lines.

Present address: Palmerston North Hospital, New Zealand.

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