Hypoxic stress disrupts HGF/Met signaling in human trophoblasts: implications for the pathogenesis of preeclampsia

Background Preeclampsia (PE), a placenta-associated pregnancy complication, is the leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality. Met/Erk signaling is inhibited in the placentas of patients with early-onset preeclampsia (E-PE), but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, the expression modes of Met and endocytic vesicles in normal and preeclamptic placentas were compared. Biotinylation internalization/recycling assays were used to measure the endocytosis of Met under hypoxia and normoxia in HTR8/SVneo cells. In addition, the expression level of Cbl, a specific E3 ligase of Met, was measured under hypoxia and normoxia, and the endocytosis of Met was studied by using confocal microscopy. Results We found considerable intracellular accumulation of Met, which was colocalized with caveolin-1 (CAV-1), in trophoblasts from E-PE placentas. Prolonged hypoxic stimulation led to the remarkable augmentation of CAV-1-mediated Met endocytosis in HTR8/SVneo cells. In addition, the expression of Cbl was substantially repressed by sustained hypoxia, disrupting ubiquitin degradation and the subsequent intracellular accumulation of Met in HTR8/SVneo cells. The abnormal degradation of Met hampered the ability of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to promote trophoblast cell invasion. In E-PE placentas, aberrant upregulation of CAV-1 and downregulation of Cbl were observed in parallel to the intracellular accumulation of Met. Conclusions These findings reveal that prolonged hypoxic stress induces the augmentation of endocytosis and repression of ubiquitin-mediated Met degradation, which leads to the impaired regulation of trophoblast invasion by HGF/Met signaling. These data provide novel evidence for elucidating the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, especially of the early-onset subtype.

Automated summary

This study reveals that prolonged hypoxic stress induces increased endocytosis and repression of ubiquitin-mediated Met degradation, leading to impaired regulation of trophoblast invasion by HGF/Met signaling. These findings provide novel evidence for elucidating the pathogenesis of preeclampsia, especially of the early-onset subtype.