New regulatory mechanisms for human extravillous trophoblast invasion

Human extravillous trophoblasts (EVT) invade maternal deciduas and reconstructed maternal spiral arteries during early placentation. However, the precise regulatory mechanisms to induce EVT invasion toward arteries and/or to protect EVT from further invasion have not been well understood. Recently, it was found that EVT that had already ceased their invasion, specifically expressed cluster of differentiation (CD9) and dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) on their cell surface. In addition, EVT migrating to maternal spiral arteries expressed CC chemokine receptor type-1 (CCR-1), which is a chemokine receptor for regulated on activation normal T cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) and so on. CD9 is associated with integrin molecules on the cell surface and is considered to modulate integrin function. In contrast, DPPIV is a cell surface peptidase that can metabolize RANTES at extracellular sites before its accessing to the chemokine receptors. In vitro functional assay showed that CD9, DPPIV and RANTES are involved in the regulation for EVT invasion. From these findings, it can be proposed that CD9 and DPPIV, including chemokines, are new regulatory factors for human extravillous trophoblasts. (Reprod Med Biol 2005; 4: 189-195).