Efficient lipofection of human trophoblast cells in primary cultures

Human choriosomatomammotropic hormone, also known as placental lactogen, is expressed in syncytiotrophoblast cells of the placenta. Studying transcriptional regulation of the genes coding for this hormone, we became interested in transfecting primary cultures of these trophoblast cells. In this study, we show that it is possible to transfect, by the lipofection method, these giant cells in an efficient and reproducible manner. We show the presence of an enhancer region downstream from the hCS-B gene, functionally active in these cells; furthermore, we demonstrate the placenta-specific characteristic of this enhancer, previously identified in a human choriocarcinoma cell line.