The role of ERp29/FOS/EMT pathway in excessive apoptosis of placental trophoblast cells in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy

Background: Abnormal bile acid metabolism leading to changes in placental function during pregnancy. To determine whether endoplasmic reticulum protein 29 (ERp29) can mediate the pregnancy effects of cholestasis by altering the level of trophoblast cell Apoptosis.

Methods: ERp29 in serum of 66 intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP) pregnant women and 74 healthy were detected by ELISA. Subcutaneous injection of ethinyl estradiol (E2) was used to induce ICP in pregnant rats. Taurocholic acid (TCA) was used to simulate the ICP environment, and TGF-β1 was added to induce the epithelial mesenchymal transformation (EMT) process. The scratch, migration, and invasion test were used to detect the EMT process. ERp29 overexpression/knockdown vector were constructed and transfected to verify the role of ERp29 in the EMT process. Downstream gene was obtained through RNA-seq.

Results: Compared with the healthy pregnant women, the expression levels of ERp29 in serum of ICP pregnancy women were significantly increased (P < 0.001). ERp29 in the placenta tissue of the ICP pregnant rats increased significantly, and the level of Apoptosis increased. The placental tissues of the ICP had high expression of E-cadherin and low expression of N-Cadherin, snail1, vimentin. After HTR-8/SVneo cells were induced by TCA, EMT was inhibited, while the ERp29 increased. Cell and animal experiments showed that, knockdown of ERp29 reduced the inhibition of EMT, the ICP progress was alleviated. Overexpression of FOS salvaged the inhibitory effects of ERp29 on cell EMT.

Discussion: The high level of ERp29 in placental trophoblast cells reduced FOS mRNA levels, inhibited the EMT process and aggravated the occurrence and development of ICP.

Endoplasmic reticulum protein 29; Epithelial mesenchymal transformation; Excessive apoptosis; FOS; Intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy; Placental trophoblast cells.