Activated α2-macroglobulin binding to cell surface GRP78 induces trophoblastic cell fusion

Sci Rep. 2020 Jun 15;10(1):9666. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-66554-0.

Abstract

The villous cytotrophoblastic cells have the ability to fuse and differentiate, forming the syncytiotrophoblast (STB). The syncytialisation process is essential for placentation. Nevertheless, the mechanisms involved in cell fusion and differentiation are yet to be fully elucidated. It has been suggested that cell surface glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78) was involved in this process. In multiple cancer cells, cell membrane-located GRP78 has been reported to act as a receptor binding to the active form of α2-macroglobulin (α2M*), activating thus several cellular signalling pathways implicated in cell growth and survival. We hypothesised that GRP78 interaction with α2M* may also activate signalling pathways in trophoblastic cells, which, in turn, may promote cell fusion. Here, we observed that α2M mRNA is highly expressed in trophoblastic cells, whereas it is not expressed in the choriocarcinoma cell line BeWo. We thus took advantage of forskolin-induced syncytialisation of BeWo cells to study the effect of exogenous α2M* on syncytialisation. We first demonstrated that α2M* induced trophoblastic cell fusion. This effect is dependent on α2M*-GRP78 interaction, ERK1/2 and CREB phosphorylation, and unfolded protein response (UPR) activation. Overall, these data provide novel insights into the signalling molecules and mechanisms regulating trophoblastic cell fusion.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Fusion
  • Cell Line
  • Choriocarcinoma / genetics*
  • Choriocarcinoma / metabolism
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Down-Regulation
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
  • Female
  • Heat-Shock Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Phosphorylation
  • Pregnancy
  • Signal Transduction
  • Trophoblasts / cytology*
  • Trophoblasts / metabolism
  • Unfolded Protein Response
  • Uterine Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / metabolism
  • alpha-Macroglobulins / genetics*
  • alpha-Macroglobulins / metabolism

Substances

  • A2M protein, human
  • CREB1 protein, human
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein
  • Endoplasmic Reticulum Chaperone BiP
  • HSPA5 protein, human
  • Heat-Shock Proteins
  • alpha-Macroglobulins