Biomaterial Database

The ontogony of the human placental glucocorticoid receptor and inducibility of heat-stable alkaline phosphatase. 1979

K V Speeg, and R W Harrison

The human placenta was found to contain a cytosol receptor for glucocorticoids. The concentration of this receptor in term placenta was 27-fold higher than that found in cytosol from first trimester placenta. The levels of cytosol glucocorticoid receptor in three trophoblastic cell lines (JAr, BeWo, and JEG) were also determined and all were found to be low. The ability of prednisolone, a potent glucocorticoid, to stimulate heat-stable alkaline phosphatase activity found in these cells was tested. Although control experiments demonstrated that the conditions were adequate to stimulate HeLa cell alkaline phosphatase, none of the trophoblastic lines responded to prednisolone administration. This result may be explained by the observation that the JAr cells lacked any detectable glucocorticoid receptor and the receptor levels in cytosol prepared from JEG and BeWo cells were 12% and 2%, respectively, of those measured in HeLa cytosol. Our studies also suggest that the increase in serum levels of heat-stable alkaline phosphatase observed during pregnancy may reflect increasing placental sensitivity to glucocorticoids as a result of increased receptor levels.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010920	Placenta	A highly vascularized mammalian fetal-maternal organ and major site of transport of oxygen, nutrients, and fetal waste products. It includes a fetal portion (CHORIONIC VILLI) derived from TROPHOBLASTS and a maternal portion (DECIDUA) derived from the uterine ENDOMETRIUM. The placenta produces an array of steroid, protein and peptide hormones (PLACENTAL HORMONES).	Placentoma, Normal,Placentome,Placentas,Placentomes
D011239	Prednisolone	A glucocorticoid with the general properties of the corticosteroids. It is the drug of choice for all conditions in which routine systemic corticosteroid therapy is indicated, except adrenal deficiency states.	Di-Adreson-F,Predate,Predonine,Di Adreson F,DiAdresonF
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011261	Pregnancy Trimester, First	The beginning third of a human PREGNANCY, from the first day of the last normal menstrual period (MENSTRUATION) through the completion of 14 weeks (98 days) of gestation.	Early Placental Phase,Pregnancy, First Trimester,Trimester, First,Early Placental Phases,First Pregnancy Trimester,First Pregnancy Trimesters,First Trimester,First Trimester Pregnancies,First Trimester Pregnancy,First Trimesters,Phase, Early Placental,Phases, Early Placental,Placental Phase, Early,Placental Phases, Early,Pregnancies, First Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, First,Trimesters, First
D011263	Pregnancy Trimester, Third	The last third of a human PREGNANCY, from the beginning of the 29th through the 42nd completed week (197 to 294 days) of gestation.	Pregnancy, Third Trimester,Trimester, Third,Last Trimester,Last Trimesters,Pregnancies, Third Trimester,Pregnancy Trimesters, Third,Third Pregnancy Trimester,Third Pregnancy Trimesters,Third Trimester,Third Trimester Pregnancies,Third Trimester Pregnancy,Third Trimesters,Trimester, Last,Trimesters, Last,Trimesters, Third
D011965	Receptors, Glucocorticoid	Cytoplasmic proteins that specifically bind glucocorticoids and mediate their cellular effects. The glucocorticoid receptor-glucocorticoid complex acts in the nucleus to induce transcription of DNA. Glucocorticoids were named for their actions on blood glucose concentration, but they have equally important effects on protein and fat metabolism. Cortisol is the most important example.	Corticoid Type II Receptor,Glucocorticoid Receptors,Glucocorticoids Receptor,Corticoid II Receptor,Corticoid Type II Receptors,Glucocorticoid Receptor,Receptors, Corticoid II,Receptors, Corticoid Type II,Receptors, Glucocorticoids,Corticoid II Receptors,Glucocorticoids Receptors,Receptor, Corticoid II,Receptor, Glucocorticoid,Receptor, Glucocorticoids
D011987	Receptors, Steroid	Proteins found usually in the cytoplasm or nucleus that specifically bind steroid hormones and trigger changes influencing the behavior of cells. The steroid receptor-steroid hormone complex regulates the transcription of specific genes.	Corticosteroid Receptors,Receptors, Corticosteroid,Steroid Receptors,Corticosteroid Receptor,Receptors, Steroids,Steroid Receptor,Receptor, Corticosteroid,Receptor, Steroid,Steroids Receptors
D002460	Cell Line	Established cell cultures that have the potential to propagate indefinitely.	Cell Lines,Line, Cell,Lines, Cell
D003600	Cytosol	Intracellular fluid from the cytoplasm after removal of ORGANELLES and other insoluble cytoplasmic components.	Cytosols
D004790	Enzyme Induction	An increase in the rate of synthesis of an enzyme due to the presence of an inducer which acts to derepress the gene responsible for enzyme synthesis.	Induction, Enzyme