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Epigenetic and non-epigenetic regulation of syncytin-1 expression in human placenta and cancer tissues

Qiang Huang1, Haibin Chen2, Jinping Li3

  • 1The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, China; Department of Biological Science, Mercer University School of Medicine, Savannah, GA 31404, USA.

Cellular Signalling
|November 13, 2013
PubMed

Syncytin-1 is a human endogenous retroviral envelope gene (HERVW1) product specifically expressed in placental trophoblasts. By mediating the formation of syncytiotrophoblasts through cell-cell fusion, syncytin-1 plays a critical role for the placental barrier, endocrine and exchange functions. During pregnancy, syncytin-1 expression is dynamically regulated by various pathophysiological factors and pathways. This review summarizes and examines published data on epigenetic and non-epigenetic regulation of syncytin-1 gene expression, with a focus on the changes of syncytin-1 DNA methylation and expression in placental trophoblasts under preeclamptic and hypoxic conditions. The functions of syncytiotrophoblasts, the fusogenic and non-fusogenic activities of syncytin-1, and aberrant activation of syncytin-1 expression in cancer cells are also discussed. New findings on the epigenetic regulation of syncytin-1 in placentas from monozygotic/dichorionic discordant twins are analyzed. The close correlation among changes of DNMTs expression, syncytin-1 gene methylation, and syncytin-1 mRNA levels, in placentas associated with discordant fetal growth indicated a dynamic nature of syncytin-1 regulation.

Keywords:
DNA MethylationHERVW1, PreeclampsiaNon-fusogenicSynctyine-1SyncytiotrophoblastTrophoblast

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