Evidence for bystander signalling between human trophoblast cells and human embryonic stem cells

Jones, Anna J., Gokhale, Paul J., Allison, Thomas F., Sampson, Barry, Athwal, Sharan, Grant, Simon, Andrews, Peter W., Allen, Nicholas Denby ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4009-186X and Case, C. Patrick 2015. Evidence for bystander signalling between human trophoblast cells and human embryonic stem cells. Scientific Reports 5 , 11694. 10.1038/srep11694

Preview

PDF - Published Version Available under License Creative Commons Attribution No Derivatives. Download (1MB) | Preview

Abstract

Maternal exposure during pregnancy to toxins can occasionally lead to miscarriage and malformation. It is currently thought that toxins pass through the placental barrier, albeit bi-layered in the first trimester, and damage the fetus directly, albeit at low concentration. Here we examined the responses of human embryonic stem (hES) cells in tissue culture to two metals at low concentration. We compared direct exposures with indirect exposures across a bi-layered model of the placenta cell barrier. Direct exposure caused increased DNA damage without apoptosis or a loss of cell number but with some evidence of altered differentiation. Indirect exposure caused increased DNA damage and apoptosis but without loss of pluripotency. This was not caused by metal ions passing through the barrier. Instead the hES cells responded to signalling molecules (including TNF-α) secreted by the barrier cells. This mechanism was dependent on connexin 43 mediated intercellular ‘bystander signalling’ both within and between the trophoblast barrier and the hES colonies. These results highlight key differences between direct and indirect exposure of hES cells across a trophoblast barrier to metal toxins. It offers a theoretical possibility that an indirectly mediated toxicity of hES cells might have biological relevance to fetal development.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Biosciences Neuroscience and Mental Health Research Institute (NMHRI)
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics
Additional Information:	PDF uploaded in accordance with publisher's policies at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/2045-2322/ (accessed 11.02.16).
Publisher:	Nature Publishing Group
ISSN:	2045-2322
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Date of Acceptance:	22 May 2015
Last Modified:	05 May 2023 08:29
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/75351

Citation Data

Cited 6 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item