Isolation and characterization of membrane-associated placental proteins

Membrane-associated proteins (MPs) of the human term placenta (afterbirth) were obtained by extracting the insoluble part of the tissue with solubilizing agents, after the soluble material had been removed by washing with saline. The insoluble residue was subsequently exhaustively extracted first with the nonionic detergent Triton X-100 and then with 6 M urea. In the Triton extract eleven new different membrane-associated antigens could be detected by immunochemical methods; they were designated as MP2A to MP2L. One of these proteins (MP2C) was found to be immunochemically identical with the already described soluble placental protein PP21 [3]. MP1 another antigen detected in the Triton extract later was identified as heart stable alkaline phosphatase. In the urea extract eight different membrane-associated antigens could be identified by immunochemical methods; they were designated as MP3 to MP10. MP3 later was found to be immunochemically identical with laminin. All these membrane-associated proteins have now been isolated to purity and characterized by their physico-chemical properties. Specific antisera to the new proteins were obtained by immunizing animals with the corresponding purified proteins. They were used to detect and quantitate the new proteins in extracts of placentas and other human tissues by immunochemical methods such as gel diffusion tests. The immunocytochemical localization of the new proteins as well as measurement of their concentrations in body fluids by sensitive radioimmunoassays or enzyme immunoassays are presently under investigation.