Mohammad Reza Rezvany1,2, Azam Kazemi3, Abbas Hajifathali4, Saeed Kaviani3, Håkan Mellstedt2. 1. Dept. of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran. 2. Immune and Gene Therapy Lab., Cancer Center Karolinska (CCK), Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden. 3. Dept. of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Tarbiat Modarres University, Tehran, Iran. 4. Dept. of Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) molecule exhibits limited tissue distribution, low polymorphism and alternative splicings that generate seven HLA-G isoforms. HLA-G exerts multiple immunoregulatory functions. Recent studies indicate an ectopic up-regulation in tumor cells that may favor their escape from anti-tumor immune responses. This study it is an effort to clarify the presence of HLA-G in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) patients. METHODS: HLA-G mRNA expression was studied in a pilot study in circulating B-CLL and also healthy controls by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using a set of pan-HLA-G primers. RESULTS: RT-PCR was performed on B-cells from 74 B-CLL patients and 12 healthy controls. The data showed HLA-G gene expression in 20% of the B-CLL patients. No expression of HLA-G could be detected in the healthy control group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that HLA-G is expressed at the gene level in B cells from B-CLL patients but not in B cells from healthy controls. Further study is required to clarify the role of HLA-G as a regulatory factor that could affect immune response in B-CLL patients.
BACKGROUND: The human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) molecule exhibits limited tissue distribution, low polymorphism and alternative splicings that generate seven HLA-G isoforms. HLA-G exerts multiple immunoregulatory functions. Recent studies indicate an ectopic up-regulation in tumor cells that may favor their escape from anti-tumor immune responses. This study it is an effort to clarify the presence of HLA-G in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) patients. METHODS:HLA-G mRNA expression was studied in a pilot study in circulating B-CLL and also healthy controls by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR using a set of pan-HLA-G primers. RESULTS: RT-PCR was performed on B-cells from 74 B-CLL patients and 12 healthy controls. The data showed HLA-G gene expression in 20% of the B-CLL patients. No expression of HLA-G could be detected in the healthy control group. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that HLA-G is expressed at the gene level in B cells from B-CLL patients but not in B cells from healthy controls. Further study is required to clarify the role of HLA-G as a regulatory factor that could affect immune response in B-CLL patients.