The human major histocompatibility complex class Ib molecule HLA-E binds signal sequence-derived peptides with primary anchor residues at positions 2 and 9

Human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen E (HLA-E) and mouse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Ib antigen, Qa-1, share the same substitutions at two normally conserved positions 143 and 147, which are likely to affect binding of the C terminus of peptides. Qa-1 is able to bind a peptide derived from the leader sequence of H-2 D and H-2 L molecules. We developed a peptide binding assay in vitro to compare the binding specificity of HLA-E with the mouse MHC class Ib molecule Qa-1. We demonstrate that HLA-E binds, although poorly, the peptide which binds to Qa-1 and that it also binds nonamer signal sequence-derived peptides from human MHC class I molecules. Using alanine and glycine substitutions, we could define primary anchor residues at positions 2 and 9 and secondary anchor residues at position 7 and possibly 3.     

HLA-E的表达对RSA及PIH患者外周血γδT细胞细胞毒效应的影响

探索HLA-E分子的表达对习惯性流产(recurrent spontaneous abortion,RSA)及妊高症(pregnancy-induced hypertension,PIH)患者外周血γδT细胞细胞毒效应的影响。通过固相抗体法体外分离并扩增外周γδT血细胞作为效应细胞,以HLA-E转染的LcL721.221细胞(.221E)及滋养层细胞JAR作为靶细胞,采用4 h乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)释放试验观察NK细胞对靶细胞的细胞毒效应。结果显示,来自RSA、PIH及正常对照组的γδ细胞均不能有效杀伤HLA-E转染的.221E细胞及JAR细胞,但未经HLA-E转染的LcL721.221细胞则被溶解;抗HLA-E单抗3D12及抗CD94单抗HP-3B1的阻断可以分别部分恢复效应细胞对靶细胞LcL721.221E的杀伤,但对JAR细胞没有影响;与正常对照组相比,RSA及PIH患者外周血γδT细胞对.221、.221E及JAR细胞的细胞毒活性没有显著性差异(P>0.05)。这说明HLA-E分子的体外表达可以保护靶细胞防止γδT细胞的杀伤,该保护机制主要是通过γδT细胞受体CD94/NKG2对靶细胞表面HLA-E分子的识别来实现的;滋养层细胞对γδT细胞杀伤的抵抗可能存在MHC I类非依赖的机制。     

Significance of association of HLA-C and HLA-E with psoriatic arthritis

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a complex genetic disorder that results from an interplay between multiple genetic and environmental factors. The aim of the study was to assess the significance of the association between the HLA-C and HLA-E allelic groups and PsA. Our results confirm the association between HLA-C^∗06 and PsA (OR = 5.16, p < 0.0001). Furthermore, HLA-C^∗06-positive patients develop more severe disease (p < 0.01) and more frequently present with polyarticular pattern of PsA (p = 0.08). Additionally our study revealed that the HLA-C^∗02 allele was more frequently observed in PsA patients (OR = 5.40, p < 0.0005) and also that the HLA-E^∗01:01 allele was significantly over-represented among HLA-C^∗02-negative patients in comparison to healthy individuals (OR = 6.44, p = 0.045). Therefore these results suggest that the HLA-E and HLA-C^∗02 molecules may also play an important role in determination immune response contributing to the PsA development.     

HLA-E真核表达载体的构建及其在K562细胞中的表达与鉴定

本研究旨在亚克隆HLA-E真核表达载体，并使其在HLA-I类阴性的靶细胞K562细胞上获得稳定表达。首先采用PcR方法从多顺反子表达载体(pG/A2E)扩增出目的片段A2／ E cDNA，与真核表达载体pcDNA3．1( )重组，构建成HLA—E真核表达载体pcDNA3．1( )／A2E，然后采用脂质体转染的方法将重组质粒转入K562细胞，最后经G418筛选及有限稀释，利用抗HLA-E特异的单克隆抗体K0126-3进行FACS检测，以观察HLA—E分子在靶细胞表面的表达情况。结果显示，HLA-E分子在经pcDNA3．1( )／A2E转染的靶细胞表面获得表达(27．76％)，而经空载体pcDNA3．1( )转染的靶细胞则未获得表达。结论：成功构建了pcDNA3．1( )／A2E真核表达载体，并使HLA-E分子在HLA-I类阴性的K562细胞表面表达，为进一步研究HLA-E作用的分子机制以及探索HLA-E与NK受体之间的相互作用和HLA-E体外表达对NK细胞功能的影响奠定了基础。     

085 HLA-E

人MHCⅠ类基因分两类经典的Ia基因(包括HLA-A、HLA-B、HLA-C)和非经典的Ib基因(主要包括HLA-E与HLA-G、HLA-F)。3种非经典MHC Ⅰ类基因位于相同的染色体区域6P21.3，不同于经典分子，具有特异性的转录、蛋白表达和免疫作用。1988年发现HLA-E具有有限的多态性，作为先天的和后天的免疫统的一部分，它有非常重要的免疫调节作用，本文拟就有关问题作一综述。     

Overexpression of immunomodulatory mediators in oral precancerous lesions

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) G and E, programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1), IL-10 and TGF-β are proteins involved in failure of the antitumor immune response. We investigated the expression of these immunomodulatory mediators in oral precancerous lesions (oral leukoplakia-OL; n = 80) and whether these molecules were related to the risk of malignant transformation. Samples of normal mucosa (n = 20) and oral squamous cells carcinoma (OSCC, n = 20) were included as controls. Tissue and saliva samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and ELISA respectively. Fifteen OL samples showed severe dysplasia (18.7%) and 40 samples (50%) presented combined high Ki-67/p53. Irrespective of the degree of epithelial dysplasia and the proliferation/apoptosis index of OL, the expression of HLA-G, -E, PD-L1, IL-10, TGF-β2 and -β3 was higher to control (P < 0.05) and similar to OSCC (P > 0.05). The number of granzyme B⁺ cells in OL was similar to control (P = 0.28) and lower compared to OSCC (P < 0.01). Salivary concentrations of sHLA-G, IL-10 and TGF-β did not allow for a distinction between OL and healthy individuals. Overexpression of immunosuppressive mediators in the OL reflects the immune evasion potential of this lesion, which is apparently independent of at cytological and proliferation/apoptosis status.     

Up-regulation of activating and inhibitory NKG2 receptors in allogeneic and autologous hematopoietic stem cell grafts

Background

Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is known to induce the inhibitory immune receptor NKG2A on NK cells of donor origin. This occurs in allogeneic recipients, in both the haploidentical and HLA-matched settings.

Methods

To gain further insight, not only NKG2A, but also the activating receptors NKG2C and NKG2D were assessed by flow cytometry. Immunophenotyping was carried out not only on CD56⁺ but also on CD8⁺ lymphocytes from leukemia and lymphoma patients, receiving both HLA-matched (n = 7) and autologous (n = 5) HSCT grafts. Moreover, cognate NKG2 ligands (HLA-E, MICA, ULBP-1, ULBP-2 and ULBP-3) were assessed by immunohistochemistry in diagnostic biopsies from three autotransplanted patients, and at relapse in one case.

Results

All the NKG2 receptors were simultaneously up-regulated in all the allotransplanted patients on CD8⁺ and/or CD56⁺ cells between 30 and 90 days post-transplant, coinciding with, or following, allogeneic engraftment. Up-regulation was of lesser entity and restricted to CD8⁺ cells in the autotransplantation setting. The phenotypic expression ratio between activating and inhibitory NKG2 receptors was remarkably similar in all the patients, except two outliers (a long survivor and a short survivor) who surprisingly displayed a similar NKG2 activation immunophenotype. Tumor expression of 2 to 3 out of the 5 tested NKG2 ligands was observed in 3/3 diagnostic biopsies, and 3 ligands were up-regulated post-transplant in a patient.

Conclusions

Altogether, these results are consistent with a dual (activation-inhibition) NK cell re-education mode, an innate-like T cell re-tuning, and a ligand:receptor interplay between the tumor and the immune system following HSCT including, most interestingly, the up-regulation of several activating NKG2 ligands. Turning the immune receptor balance toward activation on both T and NK cells of donor origin may complement ex vivo NK cell expansion/activation strategies in unmanipulated patients.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13046-015-0213-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

导致母胎免疫耐受机制的研究进展

胎儿携带二分之一父方基因和二分之一母方基因 ,因而可看作是移入母体内的半异体移植物 ,成功妊娠中胎儿之所以不被母体排斥 ,是由于妊娠期母体存在免疫耐受机制 ,其包括独特的HLA表面分子、补体调节蛋白的特异表达、系统性及局部的免疫改变等。该文就导致母胎免疫耐受的各种因素作一综述。     

HLA-E siRNA沉默肝癌细胞HLA-E基因的表达

目的针对HLA-EmRNA靶序列不同位点,设计合成多个siRNA链,定量分析其对HLA-E(+)肝癌BEL-7402细胞的基因沉默效率,筛选最佳抑制效果的siRNA。方法用IFN-γ(5×105IU·L-1)诱导BEL-7402细胞表达HLA-E基因,经流式细胞技术纯化后作为靶细胞。设计并合成3条HLA-E siRNA链(A、B、C),将各siRNA(0.1mmol·L-1)经脂质体Lipofectamin 2000转染至靶细胞。采用细胞免疫荧光、流式细胞技术、Western杂交、实时PCR等定量方法,比较48h后各siRNA的基因沉默效果,并观察HLA-E基因沉默对NK肿瘤细胞杀伤的影响。结果与空白对照、非特异组相比,3组(A、B、C组)HLA-E siRNA均明显抑制细胞HLA-E抗原、蛋白产物、mRNA、细胞表面HLA-E分子的表达(P<0.01),B、C组抑制效果接近90%,高于A组(P<0.01)。A、B、C组NK肿瘤杀伤率升高(P<0.01),而B、C组肿瘤杀伤效果高于A组(P<0.01)。结论经筛选的HLA-EsiRNA能特异、高效沉默肝癌细胞HLA-E基因表达,可能抑制其非经典HLA-Ⅰ途径免疫逃避,为肝癌"基因-免疫"治疗提供新的治疗策略。