Figure 2

Temporal pattern of hCG secretion (A) and expression (B) in cultured human trophoblasts. Cytotrophoblasts were plated in the absence (●) or presence (▲) of 8-Br-cAMP (1.5 mM). Two scale bars were used in order to show all data [stimulated (▲) vs. non stimulated (●)] in the same graphic. Media was changed every day. A) Secretion of hCG in culture media was measured daily and results were expressed as mIU/mg protein. B) Real time PCR analysis of hCGβ expression in different culture days. Results were normalized against GAPDH mRNA. Vehicle data were arbitrarily given a value of 1. Basal hCG secretion and expression increased significantly compared with day 1. Note that hCGβ mRNA increased considerably on day 2 in the presence of 8-Br-cAMP (B), which was reflected on hCG secretion on day 3 (A), showing an important protein synthesis activity between day 2 and 3 of the cell culture. Data are presented as the mean ± S.D. of three different cell cultures. *P < 0.05 vs. day 1; **P < 0.05 vs. control.