Antigen Presentation By Class I Major Histocompatibility Complex Molecules: A Context for Thinking About HLA-G

PROBLEM: There is substantial data that support the efficacy of paternal leukocyte immunization (PLI) for the treatment of alloimmune mediated miscarriage; however, there is confusion regarding the laboratory test that should be performed to determine levels of maternal anti-paternal leukocyte antibodies (MAPLA). METHOD: Popular methodologies employed include: 1) microcytotoxicity (MCX), 2) mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC), and 3) cell flow cytometry crossmatch (FCXM). Cell flow cytometry crossmatch correlates well with the more difficult MLC assay although the former proves the more sensitive study. This work compares the MCX assays with FCXM. The study group consisted of ten women who had a history of three or more spontaneous abortions (SABs). All ten had very low levels (<10%) of MAPLA as measured by FCXM. Following PLI all subjects demonstrated elevated levels (>50%) of MAPLA by FCXM. At 12 weeks gestation, sera were simultaneously measured for MAPLA by MCX and FCXM. RESULTS: Although all ten patients had very high levels of MAPLA by FCXM during pregnancy, five of ten had antibodies to HLA Class I and two of ten had antibodies to HLA Class II paternal antigens by MCX. Furthermore, all patients who were positive by MCX to paternal Class I antigens were also positive to Class I antigens not seen in either parent. Both patients who were positive by MCX to paternal Class II antigens were also positive to maternal Class II antigens. Notable is that all ten women eventually delivered healthy infants. CONCLUSION: Based on this preliminary study, the MCX assay is neither sensitive or reliable enough to determine the need and/or to monitor the effectiveness of PLI. Flow cytometry should be the modality of choice when determining the need for alloimmunotherapy and to monitor the effectiveness of treatment.     

HLA-G突变分子对NK细胞抑制作用的研究

目的探索可溶性HLAG1分子结构对功能的影响,为其临床应用打下基础。方法通过分子克隆技术,去掉HLAG1重链分子α1功能区氨基端24肽,然后与轻链蛋白在体外与九肽共折叠复性形成复合物,并检测复合物对NK细胞杀伤活性的影响。结果成功构建突变的HLAG1重链分子的原核表达载体,表达的重链蛋白与轻链蛋白形成复合物,经Westernblot鉴定可与HLAⅠ类分子的单抗W6/32结合,并且可明显抑制NK细胞对K562细胞的细胞毒作用。结论α1功能区氨基端缺失24肽的HLAG1分子,可抑制NK细胞的细胞毒作用。     

Evaluation of trophoblast HLA-G antigen with a specific monoclonal antibody

A monoclonal antibody to HLA-G has been generated by immunizing HLA-A2.1/human β²-microglobulin (β²m) double transgenic mice with murine L cells transfected with both human β²m and HLA-G. This monoclonal antibody, designated as G233, has been found not to cross-react with other HLA class I antigens when tested on numerous cell lines by flow cytometry. With immunohistology, all populations of extravillous trophoblast (cell columns, interstitial trophoblast, endovascular trophoblast, placental bed giant cells) were stained. An extensive range of adult and fetal tissues was also tested but none reacted with monoclonal antibody G233, including those previously reported to express HLA-G mRNA, indicating that the protein has a highly restricted distribution. Failure to detect HLA-G in the fetal thymus raises the question as to how T-cell tolerance to this antigen is induced. Immunoprecipitation of trophoblast surface proteins with monoclonal antibody G233 revealed a heavy chain of 39 kDa and a light chain of 12 kDa, indicating that HLA-G expressed on the surface of trophoblast is complexed with p2m. However, sequential immunoprecipitation with monoclonal antibody W6/32 followed by monoclonal antibody G233 continued to detect a residual band of 39 kDa, suggesting that trophoblast surface HLA-G may also occur as free heavy chains not associated with p2m. Immunoprecipitation followed by two dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that monoclonal antibody G233 recognizes several iso-forms of HLA-G from trophoblast similar to the characteristic spot array previously described for HLA-G. This monoclonal antibody G233 will be highly useful in future experiments to elucidate the function of HLA-G.     

Placental site trophoblastic tumor of the mediastinum

Choriocarcinoma has been described as the most frequent subtype of mediastinal germ cell tumors showing trophoblastic differentiation. We report a unique case of a placental site trophoblastic tumor, which developed in the mediastinum of a 14-year-old boy 2 years after the resection of a mature teratoma. The recurrent tumor was composed of a grossly hemorrhagic and necrotic mass. Histologically, diffusely infiltrating large polygonal cells with focal nodular growth and a teratomatous part containing mature intestinal, respiratory, and squamous epithelium with adjacent cutaneous adnexal structures were found. The typical morphologic features included vessel wall infiltration by the neoplastic cells with fibrinoid deposits and geographic necroses within the tumor masses. Characteristic diffuse positivity for melanoma cell adhesion molecule and human leucocyte antigen G was found on immunohistochemical investigation, confirming the diagnosis of placental site trophoblastic tumor. The patient died 1 year later after polychemotherapy. The outcome of this rare tumor is similar to the reported poor clinical outcome in patients with mediastinal choriocarcinomas.     

Impact of HLA-G +3142C>G on the development of antibodies to blood group systems other than the Rh and Kell among sensitized patients with sickle cell disease

BackgroundPatients' inflammatory history is an important factor underlying red blood cell (RBC) alloimmunization, which is a frequent transfusion complication among individuals with sickle cell disease (SCD). HLA-G has been associated with different inflammatory and auto - immune diseases. Our goal was to verify whether the HLA-G + 3142 C>G and 14-bp Ins/Del variations are associated with RBC antibody development among SCD patients.MethodsThis was a single-center case-control study. SCD patients were randomly selected for the study and divided into two groups: ‘Alloimmunized’ and ‘Nonalloimmunized’ depending on the presence of irregular antibodies. The ‘Alloimmunized’group was further divided into two subgroups according to the presence of only antibodies against the Rh and Kell blood group systems or the existence of antibodies to antigens of the other blood group systems.ResultsA total of 213 patients were included in the study (110 alloimmunized and 103 non-alloimmunized). The ‘Alloimmunized’ and ‘Non-alloimmunized’ groups did not differ statistically regarding the HLA-G + 14 bp Ins/Del ( p = 0.494) and + 3142 C>G ( p = 0.334). Individuals who had only antibodies against the Rh and Kell antigens had a frequency of HLA-G + 3142GG genotype almost twice as high compared to the groupwith antibodies against less immunogenic antigens ( p = 0.043).ConclusionsThe genotype frequency of HLA-G + 3142 C>G differs among alloimmunized SCD patients, depending on the presence of antibodies against low immunogenic RBC antigens. This highlights a possible role played by the HLA-G molecule in the RBC alloimmunization process.     

HLA-G haplotype structure shows good conservation between different populations and good correlation with high,normal and low soluble HLA-G expression

HLA-G molecule has considerable impact in various clinical fields, therefore many studies attempted to predict its expression based on HLA-G genotype. These studies have focused on polymorphisms in either the coding region or in one of the two untranslated regions (UTR) of the gene. The aim of our study was to determine if HLA-G haplotype defined based on SNPs 5′ and 3′UTR could be used to predict soluble HLA-G expression in unstimulated individuals. Our findings showed that HLA-G haplotype structure was well conserved between distant populations and that the defined haplotypes were correlated with high, normal and low HLA-G soluble secretors. In conclusion, we showed that this genotyping strategy based on the use of a few selected SNPs rather than isolated SNP analysis allows reliable HLA-G expression in all populations. This strategy could be useful in a number of clinical settings, e.g., predicting graft compatibility immunogenetic laboratories.     

Total expression of HLA-G and TLR-9 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

Suppressed immune status facilitates immune escape mechanisms that allow chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells to proliferate and expand. The expression of HLA-G could effectively inhibit the immune response. In immune response inhibitory signals follow activation of immune system which might be occur during bacterial or viral infection in CLL patients. In the current study we characterized two components of immune system, inhibitory molecule HLA-G with its receptor – CD85j and Toll-like receptor 9.     

贵州省3个少数民族 HLA-G基因14 bp插入/缺失的多态性研究

目的：了解贵州省3个少数民族（布依族、水族、苗族）群体人类白细胞抗原-G（ HLA-G）基因14 bp插入/缺失多态性的分布规律及其与遗传背景之间的关系。方法：采用PCR扩增、电泳及测序的方法对来自贵州地区的布依族、水族、苗族共344例健康个体DNA进行HLA-G基因14 bp插入/缺失多态性检测,并与文献报道的仡佬族、壮族等13个民族群体的HLA-G基因14 bp插入/缺失多态性分布数据进行对比。结果：布依族、水族和苗族人群的+14 bp 等位基因频率分别为23.7%、26.0%和38.1%,+14 bp/+14 bp 基因型频率分别为9.40%、10.4%和15.9%,14 bp插入频率比较示布依族和苗族差异有统计学意义（χ2=11.345,P=0.001）,苗族与水族差异有统计学意义（χ2=6.125,P=0.009）而布依族和水族间比较差异无统计学意义（ P>0.017）;与其他人群数据比较,苗族群体的14 bp插入/缺失分布与其他人群相似,而作为壮侗语族的布依族、水族则有自己独特的14 bp插入/缺失分布规律。结论：布依族、水族人群的14 bp插入/缺失分布相似,但是与苗族人群的分布存在一定的差异。     

Proteomic analysis of knock-down HLA-G in invasion of human trophoblast cell line JEG-3

Previous studies showed that aberrant HLA-G expression in trophoblast cells plays important roles in trophoblast invasion; however, the mechanisms remain to be explored. In this study, we found that suppressed HLA-G expression could dramatically decrease the mRNA and protein expression levels of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9, and in the proteome assay, there were 3 identified proteins namely, prefoldin 1, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 2 and malate dehydrogenase 2, which were verified by Western blot and known to be associated with invasion, cell cycle and cell metabolism, respectively. Collectively, our study indicated a potential involvement of HLA-G in autocrine networks that may regulate prefoldin, MMPs and trophoblast invasion at the maternal-fetal interface in human pregnancy.     

白细胞抗原G在结肠癌中的表达及意义

【摘要】 目的 研究结肠癌切除标本中远癌组织、癌旁组织及癌组织白细胞抗原G(HLA-G)蛋白表达情况,探讨HLA-G在结肠癌发生、发展中的作用。方法 应用免疫组化SP法,检测HLA-G 蛋白在结肠癌远癌组织、癌旁组织及癌组织的表达情况。结果 癌组织与癌旁组织、远癌组织比较具有统计学意义(P<0.01),癌旁组织与远癌组织比较具有统计学意义(P<0.01)。 HLA-G 与结肠癌血管侵犯、淋巴结转移及临床病理分期有关(P<0.01),而与性别、年龄、肿块大小、肿块部位、癌胚抗原(CEA)水平及组织学分级无关。结论 HLA-G 在结肠癌中高表达。HLA-G 在血管侵犯组、淋巴结转移组及临床分期较晚组表达显著升高,这些因素可能与结肠癌的侵袭和转移有关。