Autophagy-related protein LC3 and Beclin-1 in the first trimester of pregnancy / 대한생식의학회지

Autophagy is a degradation process that acts in response to environmental stressors. Recently, autophagy has been detected in normal term, preeclamptic and intrauterine growth-restricted placentas. The object of this work was to investigate the presence of autophagy in first trimester voluntary interruption of pregnancy placental villi by the expression of autophagy-related proteins, light chain 3 (LC3), and Beclin-1. In first trimester placental villi laser scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) analysis revealed LC3 and Beclin-1 immunoreactivity prevalently located in villous cytotrophoblasts. Using LSCM, LC3, and Beclin-1 were localized to the cytoplasm of the trophoblast layer in human full-term placentas. Beclin-1 expression and LC3 activation were confirmed by western blotting. These data emphasize that autophagy activation is different among cytotrophoblasts and syncytiotrophoblasts depending on the gestational age and thus we speculate that autophagy might play a prosurvival role throughout human pregnancy.

Intracranial immature teratoma with syncytiotrophoblasts and tumor marker positive intestinal lining cells

Intracranial teratomas are rare entities that can present as a pure type or as mixed germ cell tumor. Cases of mixed germ cell tumor composed of immature teratoma and choriocarcinoma have been reported. Also, immature teratoma can be mixed with only syncytiotrophoblasts. We report a case of immature teratoma with syncytiotrophoblasts of the brain discovered in a 3-year-old male baby. Serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) was normal and serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) was elevated. The tumor was mainly composed of intestinal glands, and neither endodermal sinus tumor nor embryonal carcinomatous elements were found. The cells lining the intestinal glands were positive for hCG and AFP. These findings suggest that the syncytiotrophoblasts are differentiated from the endoderm and AFP is not necessarily a marker exclusive to endodermal sinus tumor or embryonal carcinoma.