Analysis of HLA-G gene expression in B-lymphocytes from chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

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Analysis of HLA-G gene expression in B-lymphocytes from chronic lymphocytic

leukemia patients.

MR Rezvany, A Kazemi, A Hajifathali, S Kaviani, and H Mellstedt

Iran Biomed J, April 1, 2007; 11(2): 125-9.

Dept. of Medical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Semnan University of

Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran. reza.rezvany@...

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.

PMID: 18051955