148 DIFFERENTIAL REGULATION OF CALCIUM TRANSPORT GENES, I.E., Na⁺/Ca²⁺ EXCHANGERS, TRANSIENT RECEPTOR POTENTIAL CATION CHANNEL 6 AND CALBINDINS, IN THE DIVERSE PLACENTAL TISSUES OF CALBINDIN-D9k AND -28k KNOCKOUT MICE VIA PUTATIVE STEROIDS

Abstract

During pregnancy, the placenta represents the establishment of an intimate connection between mother and fetus that is specific to mammals. Calbindins [Calbindin-D9k (CaBP-9k) and -D28k (CaBP-28k)] are proteins possessing EF-hand motifs that have a high affinity for Ca²⁺ ions and play an important role in the regulation and buffering of Ca²⁺ in the various tissues. Many types of calcium channels, intracellular calcium binding proteins, Na⁺/Ca²⁺ exchangers (NCX) and transient receptor potential cation channels (TRPV) have been found in the placenta. In this study, the calcium channel in maternal-fetal Ca²⁺ transport was investigated using the phenotypes of wild-type, CaBP-9k, CaBP-28k and CaBP-9k/28k knockout (KO) mouse models. Expressions of calcium transport genes in 3 dissected sections of placenta (MP: maternal, CP: central, FP: fetal) were examined by real-time RT-PCR (RT-qPCR) and Western blot analysis at gestational Day 19 in these mice. The level of TRPV6 mRNA and protein was highest in the MP and CP of CaBP-28k KO mice and the FP of CaBP-9k KO mice compared with other sections of KO mice. The level of CaBP-9k was significantly induced in CaBP-28k KO mice in MP, CP and FP compared with in WT mice, which levels were elevated from maternal to fetal sections. The expression of CaBP-28k mRNA and protein was reduced in CaBP-9k KO mice compared with WT in the 3 sections of placenta. The expression of NCX1 mRNA and protein was higher in all KO mice than in WT in MP and NCX1 was highest in CaBP-28k KO mice in CP, but strong in CaBP-9k KO mice in FP compared with other strains. These results indicate that TRPV6 and NCX1 participate in transferring calcium ions between maternal and fetal compartments and alteration of CaBP-9k/28k is involved in the intracellular Ca²⁺ buffering system among WT and KO mice. These results taken together indicate that TRPV6 and CaBP-9k genes may play a role as a key element in controlling placental calcium transport during pregnancy.