Expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein and its receptor in human umbilical cord: evidence for a paracrine system involving umbilical vessels.

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to study the expression and localization of parathyroid hormone-related protein and expression of the parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related protein receptor in human umbilical cord.

STUDY DESIGN

The expression and localization of parathyroid hormone-related protein and expression of the parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related protein receptor were studied in isolated tissues from the human umbilical cord by Northern analysis, reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Southern gel analysis, and immunolocalization procedures at the light and electron microscopic levels.

RESULTS

Parathyroid hormone-related protein was abundantly expressed in the umbilical cord. Immunohistochemical and immunocytochemical techniques confirmed hormone localization in the amnion epithelial layer and in vascular smooth muscle and endothelial cells in vessels from the umbilical cord and placental chorionic plate. Multiplex reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction identified expression of receptor messenger ribonucleic acid in vessels of the umbilical cord; this finding was verified by means of Southern gel analysis of the products of the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction.

CONCLUSION

A parathyroid hormone-related protein paracrine system appears to exist in human umbilical cord. We suggest that it may be involved in the control of fetal placental circulation.