Abstract
Chromosomal mosaicism in chorionic villus samples (CVS) may arise from different sources, such as clonal diversity within the chorionic tissue or contamination with maternal cells. To determine the origin of karyotyped cells, we compared the immunocytochemical features of mitotic cells in CVS long-term cultures with histological sections of their tissue of origin, i.e. chorionic villi. Immunolabelling of intermediate filaments specific for epithelial cells (cytokeratin) and mesenchymal cells (vimentin) established that mitoses yielded from CVS long-term cultures indeed stem from independently growing clones derived from both the epithelial and mesenchymal parts of the chorionic villi. Thus, mosaicism in CVS cultures may reflect true genetic heterogeneity within the biopsy. However, epithelial chorionic cells undergo in vitro metaplasia leading to co-expression of cytokeratins and vimentin. Fetal-specific immune markers (β-HCG and SP1-glycoprotein) are not reliably expressed in CVS cell culture.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bohn H (1971) Detection and characterization of pregnancy proteins in the human placenta and their quantitative immunochemical determination in sera from pregnant women. Arch Gynecol 210:440–457
Breed A, Mantingh A, Vosters R, Beekhuis J, Lith J van, Anders G (1991) Follow-up and pregnancy outcome after a diagnosis of mosaicism in CVS. Prenat Diagn 11:577–580
Franke W, Schmid E, Winter S, Osborn M, Weber K (1979) Widespread occurrence of intermediate-sized filaments of the vimentin-type in cultured cells from diverse vertebrates. Exp Cell Res 123:25–46
Grudzinskas J, Evans D, Gordon Y, Jeffrey D, Chard T (1978) Pregnancy-specific β1 glycoprotein in fetal and maternal compartments. Obstet Gynecol 52:43–45
Henn W, Lehr J, Unteregger G, Ermis A, Zang KD (1990) In situ chromosome preparation technqiue for simultaneous cytogenetic and immunocytochemical studies on cell cultures of solid tumors. Hum Genet 85:551–554
Hogge W, Schonberg S, Golbus M (1985) Prenatal diagnosis by chorionic villus sampling: lessons of the first 600 cases. Prenat Diagn 5:393–400
Home CHW, Towler C, Pugh-Humphreys (1976) Pregnancy specific beta 1 glycoprotein — a product of the syncytiotrophoblast. Experientia 32:1197–1199
Horwell D, Loeffler F, Coleman D (1983) Assessment of a transcervical aspiration technique for chorionic villus biopsy in the first trimester of pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 90:196–198
Jackson L, Wapner R, Bann M, Hux C, Dauis G (1985) Maternal contamination of chorionic villus samples: comparison between direct preparation and culture. Am J Med Genet 37:A99
Kalousek D, Barrett I, Gärtner A (1992) Spontaneous abortion and confined chromosomal mosaicism. Hum Genet 88:624–646
Koskull H von, Virtanen I (1987) Induction of cytokeratin expression in human mesenchymal cells. J Cell Physiol 133:321–329
Lazarides E (1980) Intermediate filaments as mechanical integrators of cellular space. Nature 283:249–256
Niazi M, Coleman D, Loeffler F (1981) Trophoblast sampling in early pregnancy. Culture of rapidly dividing cells from immature placental villi. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 88:1081–1085
Tyden O, Bergström S, Nilsson B (1981) Origin of amniotic fluid cells in mid-trimester pregnancies. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 88: 278–286
Vejerslev L, Mikkelsen M (1989) The European collaborative study on mosaicism in chorionic villus sampling: data from 1986 to 1987. Prenat Diagn 9:575–588
Vettenranta K, Koskull H von, Heikeinheimo M, Ravio K (1986) Cytoskeletal markers and specific protein production in cells cultured from human first and third trimester placentae. In Vitro Cell Dev Biol 22:100–106
Viac J, Reano A, Brochier J, Staquet M, Thiovolet J (1983) Reactivity pattern of a monoclonal antikeratin antibody (KL1). J Invest Dermatol 81:351–354
Virtanen I, Lehto V, Lehtonen E, Vartto T, Stenman S, Kurki P, Wager O, Small J, Dahl D, Badley R (1981) Expression of intermediate filaments in cultured cells. J Cell Sci 50:45–63
Nisani R, Chemke J, Voss R, Appelman Z, Caspi B, Lewin A, Dar H, Reiter A (1989) The dilemma of chromosomal mosaicism in chorionic villus sampling — ‘direct’ versus long-term cultures. Prenat Diagn 9:223–226
Osborn M, Weber K (1983) Biology of disease. Tumor diagnosis by intermediate filament typing: a novel tool for surgical pathology. Lab Invest 48:372–394
Osborn M, Franke W, Weber K (1980) Direct demonstration of the presence of two immunologically distinct intermediate-sized filament systems in the same cell by double immunofluorescence microscopy. Vimentin and cytokeratin fibers in cultured epithelial cells. Exp Cell Res 125:37–46
Seidl E, Coerdt W, Zuther C, Klink F, Schwinger E (1988) Chromosomenmosaike nach diagnostischen Chorionzottenbiopsien. Z Geburtshilfe Perinatol 192:253–258
Simoni G, Brambati B, Danesino C, Rossella F, Terzoli G, Ferrarin M, Fraccaro M (1983) Efficient direct chromosome analysis and enzyme determination from chorionic villi samples in the first trimester of pregnancy. Hum Genet 63:349–357
Williams J, Medearis A, Chu W, Kovacs G, Kaback M (1987) Maternal cell contamination in cultured chorionic villi: comparison of Q-polymorphisms derived from villi, fetal skin and maternal lymphocytes. Prenat Diagn 7:315–322
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zimmer, N., Göttert, E., Kraus, J. et al. Immunophenotyping of mitotic cells from long-term cultures of chorionic villi. Hum Genet 91, 317–320 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217349
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00217349