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Hormonal regulation of the Menkes and Wilson copper-transporting ATPases in human placental Jeg-3 cells

journal contribution
posted on 2007-01-01, 00:00 authored by Belinda Mary Hardman, Agnes MichalczykAgnes Michalczyk, M Greenough, J Camakaris, Julian MercerJulian Mercer, Leigh AcklandLeigh Ackland
Copper deficiency during pregnancy results in early embryonic death and foetal structural abnormalities including skeletal, pulmonary and cardiovascular defects. During pregnancy, copper is transported from the maternal circulation to the foetus by mechanisms which have not been clearly elucidated. Two coppertransporting ATPases, Menkes (ATP7A; MNK) and Wilson (ATP7B; WND), are expressed in the placenta and both are involved in placental copper transport, as copper accumulates in the placenta in both Menkes and Wilson disease. The regulatory mechanisms of MNKand WNDand their exact role in the placenta are unknown. Using a differentiated polarized Jeg-3 cell culture model of placental trophoblasts, MNK and WND were shown to be expressed within these cells. Distinct roles forMNKandWND are suggested on the basis of their opposing responses to insulin. Insulin and oestrogen increased both MNK mRNA and protein levels, altered the localization of MNK towards the basolateral membrane in a copper-independent manner, and increased the transport of copper across this membrane. In contrast, levels of WND were decreased in response to insulin, and the protein was located in a tight perinuclear region, with a corresponding decrease in copper efflux across the apical membrane. These results are consistent with a model of copper transport in the placenta in which MNK delivers copper to the foetus and WND returns excess copper to the maternal circulation. Insulin and oestrogen stimulate copper transport to the foetus by increasing the expression of MNK and reducing the expression of WND. These data show for the first time that MNK and WND are differentially regulated by the hormones insulin and oestrogen in human placental cells.

History

Journal

Biochemical journal

Volume

402

Issue

2

Pagination

241 - 250

Publisher

The Biochemical Society

Location

London, England

ISSN

0264-6021

eISSN

1470-8728

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2007, Biochemical Society