Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 13, 2026
Purification of HLA-G+ Extravillous Trophoblasts from Human Term Placental Tissues for Phenotyping and Functional Analysis
Published on: March 13, 2026
Evidence for expression of both classical and non-classical major histocompatibility complex class I genes in bovine
Christopher J Davies1, Jennifer A Eldridge, Patricia J Fisher
1Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology & Center for Reproductive Biology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-7040, USA. cdavies@vetmed.wsu.edu
Problem:
During the third trimester of pregnancy bovine trophoblast cells in the interplacentomal and arcade regions of the placenta express major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) antigens. At parturition immunological recognition of MHC-I antigens appears to contribute to normal placental release. Therefore, we hypothesized that during late pregnancy bovine trophoblast cells express polymorphic, classical MHC-I antigens.
Method Of Study:
Cloning, microarray screening and sequencing of cDNA were used to study transcription of MHC-I genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and interplacentomal, trophoblast cells. Real-time reverse transcription, polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to compare the abundance of MHC-I transcripts in PBMC and trophoblast cells.
Results:
Screening of cloned MHC-I cDNA on MHC-I microarrays indicated that in PBMC 90-98% of MHC-I transcripts were encoded by classical MHC-I genes with the remainder encoded by non-classical MHC-I genes. In contrast, 21-66% of MHC-I transcripts from interplacentomal trophoblast cells were from classical genes and 34-79% were from non-classical genes. Transcripts from four non-classical MHC-I loci were identified by sequence analysis. Real-time RT-PCR indicated that the overall levels of MHC-I gene expression in PBMC and trophoblast were similar.
Conclusion:
Bovine interplacentomal trophoblast cells express both classical and non-classical MHC-I genes, but the relative level of expression varies considerably.
