Estrogen synthetase (aromatase) in cultured human term placental cells and neoplastic human trophoblast

Estrogen synthetase (aromatase) is present in large amounts in human term placenta. However, the localization of aromatase within the cellular structure of the placental villus is obscure. By immunocytochemical techniques using antibodies that separately recognize each component of the aromatase cytochrome P-450 enzyme system, the fraction of term placental trophoblast cells in primary culture expressing each aromatase component antigen increased from 20% in fresh mononucleated cells to about 65% for multinucleated giant cells after 72 h. In contrast, about 80% of human choriocarcinoma cells in continuous culture (JAr line) expressed each aromatase component antigen. The fraction of trophoblast cells in primary culture containing human chorionic gonadotropin increased from about 14% in fresh mononucleated cells to about 45% after 72 h and was about 30% in the choriocarcinoma cells. Fibroblast cells in culture, derived from trypsin-treated placental villi, contained aromatase activity, albeit much lower than term placental trophoblast cells. Aromatase specific activity in these placental fibroblasts did not change following growth with dibutyryl cAMP plus theophylline for 72 h.