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Zhang X, Wei H. Role of Decidual Natural Killer Cells in Human Pregnancy and Related Pregnancy Complications. Front Immunol 2021; 12:728291. [PMID: 34512661 PMCID: PMC8426434 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.728291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pregnancy is a unique type of immunological process. Healthy pregnancy is associated with a series of inflammatory events: implantation (inflammation), gestation (anti-inflammation), and parturition (inflammation). As the most abundant leukocytes during pregnancy, natural killer (NK) cells are recruited and activated by ovarian hormones and have pivotal roles throughout pregnancy. During the first trimester, NK cells represent up to 50–70% of decidua lymphocytes. Differently from peripheral-blood NK cells, decidual natural killer (dNK) cells are poorly cytolytic, and they release cytokines/chemokines that induce trophoblast invasion, tissue remodeling, embryonic development, and placentation. NK cells can also shift to a cytotoxic identity and carry out immune defense if infected in utero by pathogens. At late gestation, premature activation of NK cells can lead to a breakdown of tolerance of the maternal–fetal interface and, subsequently, can result in preterm birth. This review is focused on the role of dNK cells in normal pregnancy and pathological pregnancy, including preeclampsia, recurrent spontaneous abortion, endometriosis, and recurrent implantation failure. dNK cells could be targets for the treatment of pregnancy complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuhong Zhang
- Department of Genetics, School of Life Science, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Haiming Wei
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Division of Molecular Medicine, The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.,Institute of Immunology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
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Tao S, He Y, Kichula KM, Wang J, He J, Norman PJ, Zhu F. High-Resolution Analysis Identifies High Frequency of KIR-A Haplotypes and Inhibitory Interactions of KIR With HLA Class I in Zhejiang Han. Front Immunol 2021; 12:640334. [PMID: 33995358 PMCID: PMC8121542 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.640334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) interact with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules, modulating critical NK cell functions in the maintenance of human health. Characterizing the distribution and characteristics of KIR and HLA allotype diversity across defined human populations is thus essential for understanding the multiple associations with disease, and for directing therapies. In this study of 176 Zhejiang Han individuals from Southeastern China, we describe diversity of the highly polymorphic KIR and HLA class I genes at high resolution. KIR-A haplotypes, which carry four inhibitory receptors specific for HLA-A, B or C, are known to associate with protection from infection and some cancers. We show the Chinese Southern Han from Zhejiang are characterized by a high frequency of KIR-A haplotypes and a high frequency of C1 KIR ligands. Accordingly, interactions of inhibitory KIR2DL3 with C1+HLA are more frequent in Zhejiang Han than populations outside East Asia. Zhejiang Han exhibit greater diversity of inhibitory than activating KIR, with three-domain inhibitory KIR exhibiting the greatest degree of polymorphism. As distinguished by gene copy number and allele content, 54 centromeric and 37 telomeric haplotypes were observed. We observed 6% of the population to have KIR haplotypes containing large-scale duplications or deletions that include complete genes. A unique truncated haplotype containing only KIR2DL4 in the telomeric region was also identified. An additional feature is the high frequency of HLA-B*46:01, which may have arisen due to selection pressure from infectious disease. This study will provide further insight into the role of KIR and HLA polymorphism in disease susceptibility of Zhejiang Chinese.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudan Tao
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Blood Safety Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yanmin He
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Blood Safety Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Katherine M. Kichula
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Jielin Wang
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Blood Safety Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ji He
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Blood Safety Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
| | - Paul J. Norman
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, and Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, United States
| | - Faming Zhu
- Blood Center of Zhejiang Province, Key Laboratory of Blood Safety Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, China
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Negishi Y, Takahashi H, Kuwabara Y, Takeshita T. Innate immune cells in reproduction. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2018; 44:2025-2036. [DOI: 10.1111/jog.13759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyuki Negishi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Nippon Medical School; Tokyo Japan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology; Nippon Medical School; Tokyo Japan
| | - Hidemi Takahashi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology; Nippon Medical School; Tokyo Japan
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4
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Natural killer cells and T lymphocytes in pregnancy and pre-eclampsia. Clin Sci (Lond) 2017; 131:2911-2917. [DOI: 10.1042/cs20171070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2017] [Revised: 10/24/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Although pre-eclampsia (PE), a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, has significant maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality worldwide, the mechanisms contributing to this disease have not been fully elucidated. Studies in patients and experimental models have shown that changes in the number or function of immune cells of both the adaptive and innate immune systems contribute to the development and pathogenesis of PE. This commentary summarizes our current understanding of the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of PE, specifically focussing on dysfunction of natural killer (NK) cells and T lymphocyte populations.
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Expression level of TNF-α in decidual tissue and peripheral blood of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion. Cent Eur J Immunol 2017; 42:156-160. [PMID: 28860933 PMCID: PMC5573888 DOI: 10.5114/ceji.2017.69357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aimed to determine the express level of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the decidual tissue and peripheral blood of patients with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Material and methods Eighty RSA patients and 100 control women were recruited in this study. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was applied to determine the expression level of TNF-α in peripheral blood and decidual tissues from both groups. Additionally, the expression level of TNF-α was compared between RSA patients with different numbers of abortions, as well as primary and secondary RSA patients. Results The expression level of TNF-α in peripheral blood and decidual tissues of RSA patients was significantly higher compared to the controls (p < 0.001). Patients who had undergone RSA twice expressed TNF-α in peripheral blood and decidual tissues at a similar level to patients who had experienced RSA three times (p > 0.05), but significantly lower than patients who had experienced RSA more than three times (p < 0.001). The expression level of TNF-α in peripheral blood and decidual tissues was significantly higher in the secondary RSA patients, when compared with primary RSA patients (p < 0.001). Conclusions Taken together, the relatively high expression level of TNF-α in decidual tissue and peripheral blood may be one of the causes of RSA and therefore could be used as a clinical indicator.
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Rodrigues MN, Favaron PO, Dombrowski JG, Souza RMD, Miglino MA. Role of natural killer (NK) cells during pregnancy: A review. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2013. [DOI: 10.4236/ojas.2013.32021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Rodríguez JA, Galeano L, Palacios DM, Gómez C, Serrano ML, Bravo MM, Combita AL. Altered HLA class I and HLA-G expression is associated with IL-10 expression in patients with cervical cancer. Pathobiology 2011; 79:72-83. [PMID: 22213066 DOI: 10.1159/000334089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2011] [Accepted: 09/21/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are an important risk factor in the etiopathogenesis of cervical cancer, increasing evidence suggests that the ability to avoid immune surveillance seems to be linked to the transforming potential of HPV and a rapid progression to cancer. In other cancer models, IL-10 contributes to impair anti-tumor immune response either by downregulating human leukocyte antigen Class I (HLA-I) expression or by increasing HLA-G expression. To comprehend how these alterations could contribute to evasion of immune surveillance in cervical cancer, we analyzed HLA-I, HLA-G and IL-10 expressions by immunohistochemistry in 63 biopsies from patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN-III) and cervical cancer. Immunohistochemistry showed absent or weak HLA-I expression in 50/59 cases. In these cases, a high percentage had loss of heterozygosis. IL-10 and HLA-G expression were observed in 46.6 and 27.6% of cases, respectively. Concurrent upregulation of IL-10 was found in 87.5% of HLA-G positive cases (p = 0.000). Similarly, a significant association between IL-10 expression and HLA-I downregulation was found (p = 0.028). Finally, we observed higher HLA-G expression in patients with HLA-I downregulation than in those with normal HLA-I expression (p = 0.004). Our results suggest that, in cervical cancer, the IL-10 expression may induce an immunosuppressive environment by upregulating HLA-G expression and downregulating HLA class I expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josefa Antonia Rodríguez
- Grupo de Investigación en Biología del Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Bogotá, Colombia
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Yagel S. The developmental role of natural killer cells at the fetal-maternal interface. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2009; 201:344-50. [PMID: 19788966 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajog.2009.02.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2008] [Revised: 02/16/2009] [Accepted: 02/26/2009] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Natural killer (NK) cells have been extensively studied in their traditional roles in host defense against tumor or virally infected cells. Uterine NK cells are of 2 distinct subsets: endometrial NK (eNK) cells, found in the uterus during the menstrual cycle, and decidual NK (dNK) cells, found in the decidua during pregnancy. This review will explore the immunosurveillance and cytotoxicity profiles of NK cells, the inert nature of eNK cells, and the role of dNK cells as builders at the maternal-fetal interface that create a pregnancy-favorable environment by inducing angiogenesis, trophoblast invasion, and vascular remodeling.
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Hanna J, Goldman-Wohl D, Hamani Y, Avraham I, Greenfield C, Natanson-Yaron S, Prus D, Cohen-Daniel L, Arnon TI, Manaster I, Gazit R, Yutkin V, Benharroch D, Porgador A, Keshet E, Yagel S, Mandelboim O. Decidual NK cells regulate key developmental processes at the human fetal-maternal interface. Nat Med 2006; 12:1065-74. [PMID: 16892062 DOI: 10.1038/nm1452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1196] [Impact Index Per Article: 66.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2006] [Accepted: 06/26/2006] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Human CD56(bright) NK cells accumulate in the maternal decidua during pregnancy and are found in direct contact with fetal trophoblasts. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the inability of NK cells to kill the semiallogeneic fetal cells. However, the actual functions of decidual NK (dNK) cells during pregnancy are mostly unknown. Here we show that dNK cells, but not peripheral blood-derived NK subsets, regulate trophoblast invasion both in vitro and in vivo by production of the interleukin-8 and interferon-inducible protein-10 chemokines. Furthermore, dNK cells are potent secretors of an array of angiogenic factors and induce vascular growth in the decidua. Notably, such functions are regulated by specific interactions between dNK-activating and dNK-inhibitory receptors and their ligands, uniquely expressed at the fetal-maternal interface. The overall results support a 'peaceful' model for reproductive immunology, in which elements of innate immunity have been incorporated in a constructive manner to support reproductive tissue development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Hanna
- The Lautenberg Center for General and Tumor Immunology, The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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Pandey MK, Rani R, Agrawal S. An update in recurrent spontaneous abortion. Arch Gynecol Obstet 2005; 272:95-108. [PMID: 15906053 DOI: 10.1007/s00404-004-0706-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2003] [Accepted: 10/12/2004] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is defined as three or more consecutive pregnancy losses prior to the 20th week of gestation. The etiology of recurrent spontaneous abortion is often unclear and may be multifactorial, with much controversy regarding diagnosis and treatment. Reasonably accepted etiologic causes include, genetics, anatomical, endocrine, placental anomalies, hormonal problems, infection, smoking and alcohol consumption, exposure to environmental factors, psychological trauma and stressful life event, certain coagulation and immunoregulatory protein defects. Detection of an abnormality in any of these areas may result into specific therapeutic measures, with varying degrees of success. However, the majority of cases of RSA remains unexplained and is found to be associated with certain autoimmune (APA, ANA, ACA, ATA, AECA) and alloimmune (APCA, Ab2, MLR-Bf) antibodies that may play major role in the immunologic failure of pregnancy and may lead to abortion. Alteration in the expression of HLA-G molecules, T-helper-1 (Th-1) pattern of cytokines and natural killer (NK) cells activity may also induce abortion. Various forms of treatment like antithrombotic therapies such as aspirin and heparin, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy, immunotherapy with paternal lymphocytes and vitamin D3 therapy are effective mode of treatment for unexplained cause of fetal loss in women with RSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kumar Pandey
- Division of Molecular Immunology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, MLC 7021 TCH RF 5503 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229-3039, USA.
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Gazit E, Slomov Y, Goldberg I, Brenner S, Loewenthal R. HLA-G is associated with pemphigus vulgaris in Jewish patients. Hum Immunol 2004; 65:39-46. [PMID: 14700594 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2003.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Pemphigus is a group of life-threatening autoimmune blistering diseases of the skin and mucous membranes. The etiology and pathogenesis of this destructive autoimmune process remains unknown, but significant association with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) factors have been described in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) patient cohorts worldwide. We have recently analyzed DNA samples obtained from pemphigus patients and matched controls with a set of microsatellite markers, and found that markers mapped to HLA class I region are significantly associated with the disease. In order to narrow the region that is associated with the disease single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) technology was used. In this study, a set of 26 SNP markers, which span a chromosomal region of about 600,000 bp, were used to screen DNA samples of the patients and their matched controls. Of the 26 SNPs, four markers were found informative, all mapped to HLA-G. Typing patients and controls for HLA-G polymorphism revealed significant differences in the exon 8 deletion/insertion variant. The latter is probably associated with the efficiency of transcription of this gene. Taken together, the results suggest that HLA-G is associated with PV in Jewish patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ephraim Gazit
- Tissue Typing Laboratory, Sheba Medical Center, Tel-Hashomer, Israel.
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14
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Urosevic M, Willers J, Mueller B, Kempf W, Burg G, Dummer R. HLA-G protein up-regulation in primary cutaneous lymphomas is associated with interleukin-10 expression in large cell T-cell lymphomas and indolent B-cell lymphomas. Blood 2002; 99:609-17. [PMID: 11781245 DOI: 10.1182/blood.v99.2.609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary cutaneous lymphomas (CLs) constitute a spectrum of diseases characterized by a clonal accumulation of lymphocytes in the skin. Most CLs display a T(h)2 cytokine profile, including expression of interleukin-10 (IL-10). Because the up-regulation of HLA-G, a nonclassical class Ib molecule inducible by IL-10, might account for the immunescape of the malignant clone, HLA-G and IL-10 expression has been investigated in 45 cases of primary CL (10 of B-cell and 35 of T-cell origin) with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry. HLA-G message was present in all cutaneous B-cell (CBCL) and T-cell (CTCL) lymphomas evaluated. Immunohistochemistry revealed HLA-G protein expression in 23 (51%) of 45 cases (7 of 10 CBCL, 16 of 35 CTCL). While in CBCL mostly indolent types displayed HLA-G positivity, in CTCL HLA-G expression was associated with high-grade histology and advanced stage of the disease. Except for neoplastic and infiltrating lymphocytes, other cells such as macrophages and dendritic cells showed HLA-G immunoreactivity. Furthermore, IL-10 protein expression was demonstrated in 16 (73%) of 22 HLA-G(+) cases, which correlated with HLA-G protein presence (P <.001). HLA-G up-regulation together with IL-10 expression in CL might additionally contribute to the evasion of immunosurveillance and facilitate the transition from low- to high-grade lymphomas.
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MESH Headings
- Adolescent
- Adult
- Aged
- Aged, 80 and over
- Computer Systems
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- HLA Antigens/biosynthesis
- HLA Antigens/genetics
- HLA-G Antigens
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/biosynthesis
- Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/genetics
- Humans
- Immunoenzyme Techniques
- Immunologic Surveillance
- Interleukin-10/biosynthesis
- Interleukin-10/genetics
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/genetics
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/immunology
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/metabolism
- Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic/genetics
- Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic/immunology
- Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic/metabolism
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/genetics
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/immunology
- Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/metabolism
- Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous/genetics
- Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous/immunology
- Lymphoma, T-Cell, Cutaneous/metabolism
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Neoplasm Proteins/biosynthesis
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Polymerase Chain Reaction
- RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
- RNA, Neoplasm/biosynthesis
- Skin/metabolism
- Skin Neoplasms/genetics
- Skin Neoplasms/immunology
- Skin Neoplasms/metabolism
- Transcription, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjana Urosevic
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland
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Forte P, Pazmany L, Matter-Reissmann UB, Stussi G, Schneider MK, Seebach JD. HLA-G inhibits rolling adhesion of activated human NK cells on porcine endothelial cells. JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY (BALTIMORE, MD. : 1950) 2001; 167:6002-8. [PMID: 11698480 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.167.10.6002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Human NK cells adhere to and lyse porcine endothelial cells (pEC) and therefore may contribute to the cell-mediated rejection of vascularized pig-to-human xenografts. Since MHC class I molecules inhibit the cytotoxic activity of NK cells, the expression of HLA genes in pEC has been proposed as a potential solution to overcome NK cell-mediated xenogeneic cytotoxicity. HLA-G, a minimally polymorphic HLA class I molecule that can inhibit a wide range of NK cells, is an especially attractive candidate for this purpose. In this study we tested whether the expression of HLA-G on pEC inhibits the molecular mechanisms that lead to adhesion of human NK cells to pEC and subsequent xenogeneic NK cytotoxicity. To this end two immortalized pEC lines (2A2 and PED) were stably transfected with HLA-G1. Rolling adhesion of activated human NK cells to pEC monolayers and xenogeneic cytotoxicity against pEC mediated by polyclonal human NK lines as well as NK clones were inhibited by the expression of HLA-G. The adhesion was partially reversed by masking HLA-G on pEC with anti-HLA mAbs or by masking the HLA-G-specific inhibitory receptor ILT-2 on NK cells with the mAb HP-F1. The inhibition of NK cytotoxicity by HLA-G was only partially mediated by ILT-2, indicating a role for other unknown NK receptors. In conclusion, transgenic expression of HLA-G may be useful to prevent human NK cell responses to porcine xenografts, but is probably not sufficient on its own. Moreover, the blocking of rolling adhesion by HLA-G provides evidence for a novel biological function of HLA molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Forte
- Department of Internal Medicine, Laboratory for Transplantation Immunology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Urosevic M, Kurrer MO, Kamarashev J, Mueller B, Weder W, Burg G, Stahel RA, Dummer R, Trojan A. Human leukocyte antigen G up-regulation in lung cancer associates with high-grade histology, human leukocyte antigen class I loss and interleukin-10 production. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2001; 159:817-24. [PMID: 11549573 PMCID: PMC1850480 DOI: 10.1016/s0002-9440(10)61756-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/25/2001] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Immune evasion in lung cancer results from both structural and functional alterations of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules and the local release of immunosuppressive cytokines. Recent data suggest that HLA-G, a nonclassical class Ib molecule, is involved in immune evasion by tumor cells. We sought to determine whether HLA-G could contribute to immunescape in lung cancer. All of 19 tumor specimens examined demonstrated detectable membrane-bound (HLA-G1), as well as soluble (HLA-G5) isoform transcription. Nine of 34 (26%) tumors were positive by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody (mAb) 4H84, recognizing all denatured HLA-G isoforms, of which six were positive using mAb 16G1, recognizing soluble HLA-G. HLA-G immunoreactivity correlated with high-grade histology, with HLA-G being preferentially expressed on large-cell carcinomas. In these patients, loss of classical HLA class I molecules was observed to associate with HLA-G protein up-regulation. Moreover, we found interleukin-10 expressed in 15 of 34 (44%) tumors, and in most of the HLA-G-positive cases (7 of 9), suggesting up-modulation of HLA-G by interleukin-10. It is conceivable that HLA-G expression in lung cancer might be one of the ways how the tumor down-regulates host immune response, in addition to interleukin-10 production and HLA class I loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Urosevic
- Department of Dermatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Forte P, Matter-Reissmann UB, Strasser M, Schneider MK, Seebach JD. Porcine aortic endothelial cells transfected with HLA-G are partially protected from xenogeneic human NK cytotoxicity. Hum Immunol 2000; 61:1066-73. [PMID: 11137209 DOI: 10.1016/s0198-8859(00)00202-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In this study we tested whether the expression of HLA-G protects porcine endothelial cells (PEC) from the lysis mediated by human natural killer (NK) cells. Because HLA-E is not present in PEC, this model provides an ideal tool to study the direct role of HLA-G in NK inhibition. Immortalized porcine aortic endothelial cells (PED) were stably transfected with a vector coding for the HLA-G1 protein and surface expression was demonstrated by flow cytometry analysis. Although the adhesion of human NK cells to PED was not compromised by HLA-G, the expression of HLA-G partially protected PED from the lysis mediated by polyclonal NK lines derived from different donors. A decrease of the surface expression of HLA-G on PED corresponded to a loss of the capacity of PED to inhibit NK cytotoxicity, indicating that the surface density of HLA-G molecules must exceed a certain threshold to protect target cells. In summary, these data show that HLA-G, independent from the presence of HLA-E, can only partially and inefficiently protect PED from human NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Because ILT-2/LIR-1 expression did not correlate with HLA-G mediated inhibition, we hypothesize that other yet unidentified receptors expressed by peripheral blood NK cells are involved in the recognition of HLA-G.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Forte
- Department of Internal Medicine, Laboratory for Transplantation Immunology, University Hospital Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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