introduction

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) monitoring must follow the

treatment of moles by curettage in order to detect post-molar malignant
transformation according to FIGO criteria. Post-molar GTN develop after
15-20% of CHM and 1% of PHM.
Despite high cure rates obtained with chemotherapy, many patients will
escape the regular follow-up, which may lead to later advanced stage
GTN diagnosis.
Such a biomarker might help to anticipate treatment especially in
developing countries where post-molar hCG follow-up is not easily
achievable for economic reasons and where mortality rate remains high.
Syncytin-1 is a domesticated endogenous retroviral envelope
glycoprotein of the W family transcribed from the ERVWE1 locus and
involved in hominoid syncytiotrophoblast differentiation through cellecell
fusion events after interaction with its receptors/fusion partners human
neutral amino acid transporters hASCT1 (SLC1A4) [9] and hASCT2
(SLC1A5).
 We wondered if the expression in hydatidiform moles of
(i) Syncytin-1,
(ii) its interaction partners and
(iii) the two other placental envelopes, could be
predictive of their malignant transformation.