Mononuclear cytotrophoblasts of the human placenta proliferate rapidly, subsequently fuse, and differentiate to form multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast with induction of aromatase (hCYP19A1) and chorionic gonadotropin (hCGβ) expression. Using microarray analysis, we identified members of the miR-17∼92 cluster and its paralogs, miR-106a∼363 and miR-106b∼25, that are significantly downregulated upon syncytiotrophoblast differentiation. Interestingly, miR-19b and miR-106a directly targeted hCYP19A1 expression, while miR-19b also targeted human GCM1 (hGCM1), a transcription factor critical for mouse labyrinthine trophoblast development. Overexpression of these microRNAs (miRNAs) impaired syncytiotrophoblast differentiation. hGCM1 knockdown decreased hCYP19A1 and hCGβ expression, substantiating its important role in human trophoblast differentiation. Expression of the c-Myc proto-oncogene was increased in proliferating cytotrophoblasts compared to that in differentiated syncytiotrophoblast. Moreover, c-Myc overexpression upregulated miR-17∼92 and inhibited hCYP19A1 and hCGβ expression. Binding of endogenous c-Myc to genomic regions upstream of the miR-17∼92 and miR-106a∼363 clusters in cytotrophoblasts dramatically decreased upon syncytiotrophoblast differentiation. Intriguingly, we observed higher levels of miR-106a and -19b and lower aromatase and hGCM1 expression in placentas from preeclamptic women than in placentas from gestation-matched normotensive women. Our findings reveal that c-Myc-regulated members of the miR-17∼92 and miR-106a∼363 clusters inhibit trophoblast differentiation by repressing hGCM1 and hCYP19A1 and suggest that aberrant regulation of these miRNAs may contribute to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.

Estrogen-related receptor γ (ERRγ) serves a critical O₂-dependent regulatory role in the differentiation of human cytotrophoblasts to syncytiotrophoblast. In this study, we investigated expression of genes encoding tissue kallikrein (KLK1) and voltage-gated K⁺ channels (K_V7) during differentiation of human trophoblasts in culture and the roles of ERRγ and O₂ tension in their regulation. Expression of KLK1 and the K_V7 channel subunits, KCNQ1, KCNE1, KCNE3, and KCNE5, increased during differentiation of cultured human trophoblast cells in a 20% O₂ environment. Notably, together with ERRγ, expression of KLK1, KCNQ1, KCNE1, KCNE3, and KCNE5 was markedly reduced when cells were cultured in a hypoxic environment (2% O₂). Moreover, upon transduction of trophoblast cells with short hairpin RNAs for endogenous ERRγ, KLK1, KCNQ1, KCNE1, and KCNE3 expression was significantly decreased. Promoter and site-directed mutagenesis studies in transfected cells identified putative ERRγ response elements within the KLK1 and KCNE1 5′-flanking regions required for ERRγ-stimulated transcriptional activity. Binding of endogenous ERRγ to these ERRγ response elements increased during trophoblast differentiation in culture and was inhibited by hypoxia. The K_V7 blocker linopirdine reduced human chorionic gonadotropin secretion and aggregation of cultured human trophoblasts, suggesting a possible role of K_V7 channels in cell fusion and differentiation. Illumina gene expression arrays of cultured human trophoblast cells revealed several genes upregulated during syncytiotrophoblast differentiation and downregulated upon ERRγ knockdown involved in cell differentiation, adhesion, and synthesis of steroid and peptide hormones required for placental development and function. Collectively, these findings suggest that ERRγ mediates O₂-dependent expression of genes involved in human trophoblast differentiation, function, and vascular homeostasis.

The human endogenous retroviral family W, Env(C7), member 1 gene (HERVWE1) is thought to participate in trophoblast cell fusion, and its expression is diminished in the placentas of singleton intrauterine growth-retarded pregnancies. However, there is limited information about the role of HERVWE1 in discordant fetal growth in twins. This study was to compare HERVWE1 gene expression between the placentas of discordant monozygotic twins and to identify its regulation by methylation. Fetuses from twenty-one pairs of monozygotic, dichorionic, discordant twins were marked as “smaller” or “larger” according to birth weight. Placental HERVWE1 mRNA and protein expression profiles were analyzed using quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Methylation profiles of the HERVWE1 promoter region were analyzed using a pyrosequencing assay. DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) transcript levels were analyzed by RT-PCR. 5-methyl cytosine (5-MC) was stained using an immunohistochemical assay. There was a significant negative correlation between HERVWE1 mRNA levels and birth weight in twins (P<0.01). Whereas the mean methylation level of the HERVWE1 promoter region was diminished in the smaller group in discordant twins(P<0.01), increased mRNA and protein levels of HERVWE1 were found in smaller fetuses compared with larger fetuses in discordant twins(P0.05). The DNMT3b3 mRNA levels in the smaller group were significantly downregulated compared with the larger group in discordant twins(P<0.05), whereas the DNMT3b7 mRNA levels in the smaller group were significantly upregulated compared with the larger group in discordant twins(P<0.05). In discordant, monozygotic, dichorionic twins, HERVWE1 expression was higher in smaller fetuses and lower in larger fetuses. Methylation of the HERVWE1 gene promoter region may participate in the regulation of HERVWE1 gene expression in discordant twin pregnancies.

The current study presents the cases of two unrelated patients with similar clinical features, including craniofacial anomalies, developmental delay/intellectual disability and cardiac malformations, that are consistent with chromosome 10q26 deletion syndrome. High‑resolution single‑nucleotide polymorphism analysis revealed that 10q26 terminal deletions were present in these two patients. The locations and sizes of the 10q26 deletions in these two patients were compared with the locations and sizes of 10q26 deletions in 30 patients recorded in the DECIPHER database and 18 patients characterized in previous studies through chromosomal microarray analysis. The clinical features and locations of the 10q26 deletions of these patients were reviewed in an attempt to map or refine a critical region (CR) for phenotypes. Additionally, the association between previously suggested CRs and phenotypic variability was discussed. The current study emphasize that a distal 10q26 terminal deletion with a breakpoint at ~130 Mb may contribute to the common clinical features of 10q26 deletion syndrome.