Ly6e expression is restricted to syncytiotrophoblast cells of the mouse placenta

In the present study, we characterized the expression of lymphocyte antigen 6, locus E (Ly6e) in mouse placental trophoblast. We identified Ly6e mRNA expression in trophoblast stem (TS) cells by a gene expression screen. In vivo, Ly6e was first detectable by mRNA in situ hybridization in the chorion beginning at E8.5 with spatial expression similar to Syncytin a (Syna). At later stages of gestation, Ly6e was restricted to syncytiotrophoblast in the labyrinth. Northern blot confirmed that Ly6e was expressed in both undifferentiated and differentiated TS cell cultures but that its expression increased with differentiation. FACS analysis confirmed these results and allowed us to isolate LY6E⁺ cells, which we found to express Syna at a much higher level than did LY6E⁻ cells. Our findings suggest that LY6E is expressed in differentiated syncytiotrophoblast and may also be useful as an early marker, expressed in progenitors of this cell-type.