The adhesion molecule CEACAM1 (CD66a, C-CAM, BGP) is specifically expressed by the extravillous intermediate trophoblast - PubMed (original) (raw)

The adhesion molecule CEACAM1 (CD66a, C-CAM, BGP) is specifically expressed by the extravillous intermediate trophoblast

A M Bamberger et al. Am J Pathol. 2000 Apr.

Abstract

CEACAM1 (CD66a, C-CAM, BGP) is an adhesion molecule of the carcinoembryonic antigen family which has been shown to be normally expressed at the apical pole of epithelial cells, including the apical pole of endometrial surface and glandular epithelia. The purpose of the present study was to investigate its expression pattern at the maternal-fetal interface, and thus to determine whether CEACAM1 could be implicated in the human implantation process. For this purpose, we performed immunohistochemistry using the 4D1/C2 monoclonal antibody (mAb) as well as flow cytometry and Western blot on isolated trophoblast populations. On the maternal side of the maternal-fetal interface, CEACAM1 was present in epithelial cells of pregnancy endometrium as well as in small endometrial vessels, whereas it was absent from decidual cells. On the fetal side, CEACAM1 was strongly expressed by the extravillous (intermediate) trophoblast at the implantation site, as well as by extravillous trophoblast cells with invasive phenotype in primary culture, as shown by flow cytometry and Western blot. Expression was also observed in placental villous core vessels but was absent from both villous cyto- and syncytiotrophoblasts throughout the pregnancy. We conclude that, given its specific expression pattern, CEACAM1 can be a useful marker for extravillous intermediate trophoblast and might be functionally implicated in mediating trophoblast/endometrial and/or trophoblast/endothelial interactions during the trophoblastic invasion of the endometrium.

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Figures

Figure 1.

Figure 1.

Immunohistochemical localization of CEACAM1 at the maternal-fetal interface. A: Expression of CEACAM1 in endometrium of first trimester pregnancy. Note expression of CEACAM1 (red) at the apical poles of glandular endometrial epithelial cells as well as in small endometrial vessels (v) (%250). Expression of CEACAM1 in placental structures. B, C, D: Expression in the intermediate trophoblast (it); note absence of expression in villous cyto- (ct) and syncytiotrophoblast (st); (d) = decidua. B, first trimester placenta, %100; C, second trimester placenta, %250; D, second trimester placenta, %250. E: Expression of CEACAM1 in a capping mass (cm); no expression in the cyto- (ct) and syncytiotrophoblast (st) (first trimester placenta, ×400). F: Expression of CEACAM1 in placental villous core vessels (v) (third trimester placenta, %400)

Figure 2.

Figure 2.

Flow cytometric analysis of villous and extravillous trophoblast cells with mAb 4D1/C2 for CEACAM1 expression. A: Negative control (IgG). B: Villous cytotrophoblast. C: Villous syncytiotrophoblast. D: Extravillous invasive (intermediate) cytotrophoblast. Note the marked shift of the curve to the right in extravillous invasive trophoblast, as compared to villous cyto- and syncytiotrophoblast, which are both nonexpressing.

Figure 3.

Figure 3.

Western blot analysis of villous and extravillous trophoblast cells with mAb 4D1/C2 for CEACAM1 expression. vil (first lane), villous trophoblast; ext (second and third lanes), extravillous trophoblast (two different preparations); endo (fourth lane), endometrium (positive control).

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