Conditionally immortalized syncytiotrophoblast cell lines as new tools for study of the blood-placenta barrier.

Syncytiotrophoblasts play an essential role in restriction of drug delivery through the blood-placenta barrier (BPB). Conditionally immortalized syncytiotrophoblast cell lines, TR-TBTs, were established at gestational day 18 from pregnant transgenic rats (Tg-rats) harboring the temperature-sensitive SV 40 (ts SV40) large T-antigen. TR-TBTs exhibit temperature-sensitive cell growth due to the expression of SV 40 large T-antigen, and thus the cell growth can be regulated by changing the culture temperature.

Altered expression and function of P-glycoprotein in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis in mice.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp), the product of the multiple drug resistance (mdr) gene, can actively pump toxic drugs out of cells, but its pathophysiologic role is not yet fully understood. In this study, we examined the expression of P-gp in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice. Eight-week-old Balb/c female mice were given drinking water containing 7% DSS ad libitum for 7 days.

Polarized glucose transporters and mRNA expression properties in newly developed rat syncytiotrophoblast cell lines, TR-TBTs.

In this study, we have established new syncytiotrophoblast cell lines (TR-TBTs) from the recently developed transgenic rat harboring temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 large T-antigen gene (Tg-rat). Four conditionally immortalized syncytiotrophoblast cell lines (TR-TBT 18d-1 approximately 4) were obtained from pregnant Tg-rats at gestational day 18. These cell lines had a syncytium-like morphology, could be prepared as monolayers, expressed cytokeratins and rat syncytiotrophoblast markers, and exhibited apical or basal GLUT1 localizations and apical GLUT3 localizations.