Immunogenetic and oncogenic properties of rat trophoblast cell lines.

PROBLEM: The nature of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression on rat placentas, trophoblast cell lines, and tumors derived from trophoblast cells was explored.

METHOD OF STUDY: Cytohistochemical and flow cytometric analysis and molecular techniques.

RESULTS

MHC antigen expression and genomic imprinting on the placenta and on trophoblast cells varies with the time of gestation and with the type of MHC antigen.

CONCLUSIONS

There is no correlation in trophoblast cells between class I expression and cell ploidy, on the one hand, and malignant potential, on the other hand. Genomic imprinting of class I antigens in the rat placenta is a quantitative phenomenon.