1
|
Mizutani A, Suzuki S, Shigenari A, Sato T, Tanaka M, Kulski JK, Shiina T. Nucleotide alterations in the HLA-C class I gene can cause aberrant splicing and marked changes in RNA levels in a polymorphic context-dependent manner. Front Immunol 2024; 14:1332636. [PMID: 38327766 PMCID: PMC10847315 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1332636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Polymorphisms of HLA genes, which play a crucial role in presenting peptides with diverse sequences in their peptide-binding pockets, are also thought to affect HLA gene expression, as many studies have reported associations between HLA gene polymorphisms and their expression levels. In this study, we devised an ectopic expression assay for the HLA class I genes in the context of the entire gene, and used the assay to show that the HLA-C*03:03:01 and C*04:01:01 polymorphic differences observed in association studies indeed cause different levels of RNA expression. Subsequently, we investigated the C*03:23N null allele, which was previously noted for its reduced expression, attributed to an alternate exon 3 3' splice site generated by G/A polymorphism at position 781 within the exon 3. We conducted a thorough analysis of the splicing patterns of C*03:23N, and revealed multiple aberrant splicing, including the exon 3 alternative splicing, which overshadowed its canonical counterpart. After confirming a significant reduction in RNA levels caused by the G781A alteration in our ectopic assay, we probed the function of the G-rich sequence preceding the canonical exon 3 3' splice site. Substituting the G-rich sequence with a typical pyrimidine-rich 3' splice site sequence on C*03:23N resulted in a marked elevation in RNA levels, likely due to the enhanced preference for the canonical exon 3 3' splice site over the alternate site. However, the same substitution led to a reduction in RNA levels for C*03:03:01. These findings suggested the dual roles of the G-rich sequence in RNA expression, and furthermore, underscore the importance of studying polymorphism effects within the framework of the entire gene, extending beyond conventional mini-gene reporter assays.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Akiko Mizutani
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Teikyo Heisei University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shingo Suzuki
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Atsuko Shigenari
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Tadayuki Sato
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Masafumi Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Jerzy K Kulski
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
| | - Takashi Shiina
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Kanagawa, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Aguiar VRC, Castelli EC, Single RM, Bashirova A, Ramsuran V, Kulkarni S, Augusto DG, Martin MP, Gutierrez-Arcelus M, Carrington M, Meyer D. Comparison between qPCR and RNA-seq reveals challenges of quantifying HLA expression. Immunogenetics 2023; 75:249-262. [PMID: 36707444 PMCID: PMC9883133 DOI: 10.1007/s00251-023-01296-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I and II loci are essential elements of innate and acquired immunity. Their functions include antigen presentation to T cells leading to cellular and humoral immune responses, and modulation of NK cells. Their exceptional influence on disease outcome has now been made clear by genome-wide association studies. The exons encoding the peptide-binding groove have been the main focus for determining HLA effects on disease susceptibility/pathogenesis. However, HLA expression levels have also been implicated in disease outcome, adding another dimension to the extreme diversity of HLA that impacts variability in immune responses across individuals. To estimate HLA expression, immunogenetic studies traditionally rely on quantitative PCR (qPCR). Adoption of alternative high-throughput technologies such as RNA-seq has been hampered by technical issues due to the extreme polymorphism at HLA genes. Recently, however, multiple bioinformatic methods have been developed to accurately estimate HLA expression from RNA-seq data. This opens an exciting opportunity to quantify HLA expression in large datasets but also brings questions on whether RNA-seq results are comparable to those by qPCR. In this study, we analyze three classes of expression data for HLA class I genes for a matched set of individuals: (a) RNA-seq, (b) qPCR, and (c) cell surface HLA-C expression. We observed a moderate correlation between expression estimates from qPCR and RNA-seq for HLA-A, -B, and -C (0.2 ≤ rho ≤ 0.53). We discuss technical and biological factors which need to be accounted for when comparing quantifications for different molecular phenotypes or using different techniques.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vitor R. C. Aguiar
- Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP Brazil ,Division of Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA ,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Erick C. Castelli
- Molecular Genetics and Bioinformatics Laboratory, Experimental Research Unit, School of Medicine, São Paulo State University, Botucatu, SP Brazil
| | - Richard M. Single
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT USA
| | - Arman Bashirova
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD USA ,Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Veron Ramsuran
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD USA ,Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA ,Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa (CAPRISA), University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa ,School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - Smita Kulkarni
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD USA ,Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA ,Host-Pathogen Interactions Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX USA
| | - Danillo G. Augusto
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD USA ,Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA ,Department of Biological Sciences, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Charlotte, NC USA ,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética, Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba, PR Brazil
| | - Maureen P. Martin
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD USA ,Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Maria Gutierrez-Arcelus
- Division of Immunology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA USA ,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Mary Carrington
- Basic Science Program, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD USA ,Laboratory of Integrative Cancer Immunology, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD USA ,Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Diogo Meyer
- Department of Genetics and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Johansson T, Partanen J, Saavalainen P. HLA allele-specific expression: Methods, disease associations, and relevance in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1007425. [PMID: 36248878 PMCID: PMC9554311 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1007425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Varying HLA allele-specific expression levels are associated with human diseases, such as graft versus host disease (GvHD) in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), cytotoxic T cell response and viral load in HIV infection, and the risk of Crohn’s disease. Only recently, RNA-based next generation sequencing (NGS) methodologies with accompanying bioinformatics tools have emerged to quantify HLA allele-specific expression replacing the quantitative PCR (qPCR) -based methods. These novel NGS approaches enable the systematic analysis of the HLA allele-specific expression changes between individuals and between normal and disease phenotypes. Additionally, analyzing HLA allele-specific expression and allele-specific expression loss provide important information for predicting efficacies of novel immune cell therapies. Here, we review available RNA sequencing-based approaches and computational tools for NGS to quantify HLA allele-specific expression. Moreover, we explore recent studies reporting disease associations with differential HLA expression. Finally, we discuss the role of allele-specific expression in HSCT and how considering the expression quantification in recipient-donor matching could improve the outcome of HSCT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiira Johansson
- Translational Immunology Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
- *Correspondence: Tiira Johansson,
| | - Jukka Partanen
- Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Saavalainen
- Translational Immunology Research Program, Research Programs Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Genetics Research Program, Folkhälsan Research Center, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Cornaby C, Montgomery MC, Liu C, Weimer ET. Unique Molecular Identifier-Based High-Resolution HLA Typing and Transcript Quantitation Using Long-Read Sequencing. Front Genet 2022; 13:901377. [PMID: 35879986 PMCID: PMC9308011 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.901377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
HLA typing provides essential results for stem cell and solid organ transplants, as well as providing diagnostic benefits for various rheumatology, gastroenterology, neurology, and infectious diseases. It is becoming increasingly clear that understanding the expression of patient HLA transcripts can provide additional benefits for many of these same patient groups. Our study cohort was evaluated using a long-read RNA sequencing methodology to provide rapid HLA genotyping results and normalized HLA transcript expression. Our assay used NGSEngine to determine the HLA genotyping result and normalized mRNA transcript expression using Athlon2. The assay demonstrated an excellent concordance rate of 99.7%. Similar to previous studies, for the class I loci, patients demonstrated significantly lower expression of HLA-C than HLA-A and -B (Mann-Whitney U, p value = 0.0065 and p value = 0.0154, respectively). In general, the expression of class II transcripts was lower than that of class I transcripts. This study demonstrates a rapid high-resolution HLA typing assay using RNA-Seq that can provide accurate HLA genotyping and HLA allele-specific transcript expression in 7-8 h, a timeline short enough to perform the assay for deceased donors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Caleb Cornaby
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, McLendon Clinical Laboratories, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Maureen C Montgomery
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, McLendon Clinical Laboratories, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Pathology and Immunology, Division of Laboratory and Genomic Medicine, School of Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Eric T Weimer
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, McLendon Clinical Laboratories, UNC Health, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Regulation of HLA class I expression by non-coding gene variations. PLoS Genet 2022; 18:e1010212. [PMID: 35666741 PMCID: PMC9170083 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) is a critical genetic system for different outcomes after solid organ and hematopoietic cell transplantation. Its polymorphism is usually determined by molecular technologies at the DNA level. A potential role of HLA allelic expression remains under investigation in the context of the allogenic immune response between donors and recipients. In this study, we quantified the allelic expression of all three HLA class I loci (HLA-A, B and C) by RNA sequencing and conducted an analysis of expression quantitative traits loci (eQTL) to investigate whether HLA expression regulation could be associated with non-coding gene variations. HLA-B alleles exhibited the highest expression levels followed by HLA-C and HLA-A alleles. The max fold expression variation was observed for HLA-C alleles. The expression of HLA class I loci of distinct individuals demonstrated a coordinated and paired expression of both alleles of the same locus. Expression of conserved HLA-A~B~C haplotypes differed in distinct PBMC's suggesting an individual regulated expression of both HLA class I alleles and haplotypes. Cytokines TNFα /IFNβ, which induced a very similar upregulation of HLA class I RNA and cell surface expression across alleles did not modify the individually coordinated expression at the three HLA class I loci. By identifying cis eQTLs for the HLA class I genes, we show that the non-coding eQTLs explain 29%, 13%, and 31% of the respective HLA-A, B, C expression variance in unstimulated cells, and 9%, 23%, and 50% of the variance in cytokine-stimulated cells. The eQTLs have significantly higher effect sizes in stimulated cells compared to unstimulated cells for HLA-B and HLA-C genes expression. Our data also suggest that the identified eQTLs are independent from the coding variation which defines HLA alleles and thus may be influential on intra-allele expression variability although they might not represent the causal eQTLs.
Collapse
|
6
|
Johansson T, Yohannes DA, Koskela S, Partanen J, Saavalainen P. HLA RNA Sequencing With Unique Molecular Identifiers Reveals High Allele-Specific Variability in mRNA Expression. Front Immunol 2021; 12:629059. [PMID: 33717155 PMCID: PMC7949471 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.629059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The HLA gene complex is the most important single genetic factor in susceptibility to most diseases with autoimmune or autoinflammatory origin and in transplantation matching. Most studies have focused on the vast allelic variation in these genes; only a few studies have explored differences in the expression levels of HLA alleles. In this study, we quantified mRNA expression levels of HLA class I and II genes from peripheral blood samples of 50 healthy individuals. The gene- and allele-specific mRNA expression was assessed using unique molecular identifiers, which enabled PCR bias removal and calculation of the number of original mRNA transcripts. We identified differences in mRNA expression between different HLA genes and alleles. Our results suggest that HLA alleles are differentially expressed and these differences in expression levels are quantifiable using RNA sequencing technology. Our method provides novel insights into HLA research, and it can be applied to quantify expression differences of HLA alleles in various tissues and to evaluate the role of this type of variation in transplantation matching and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiira Johansson
- Research Programs Unit, Translational Immunology Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Dawit A. Yohannes
- Research Programs Unit, Translational Immunology Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Satu Koskela
- Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jukka Partanen
- Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Päivi Saavalainen
- Research Programs Unit, Translational Immunology Program, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research and Development, Finnish Red Cross Blood Service, Helsinki, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Little AM, Akbarzad-Yousefi A, Anand A, Diaz Burlinson N, Dunn PPJ, Evseeva I, Latham K, Poulton K, Railton D, Vivers S, Wright PA. BSHI guideline: HLA matching and donor selection for haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation. Int J Immunogenet 2021; 48:75-109. [PMID: 33565720 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
A review of the British Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (BSHI) Guideline 'HLA matching and donor selection for haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation' published in 2016 was undertaken by a BSHI appointed writing committee. Literature searches were performed and the data extracted were presented as recommendations according to the GRADE nomenclature.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ann-Margaret Little
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, Gartnavel General Hospital, Glasgow, UK.,Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Arash Akbarzad-Yousefi
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, NHS Blood and Transplant, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK
| | - Arthi Anand
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory, North West London Pathology, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | | | - Paul P J Dunn
- Transplant Laboratory University Hospitals of Leicester, Leicester General Hospital, Leicester, UK.,Department of Respiratory Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK
| | | | - Katy Latham
- Cellular and Molecular Therapies, NHS Blood and Transplant, Bristol, UK
| | - Kay Poulton
- Transplantation Laboratory, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK
| | - Dawn Railton
- Tissue Typing Laboratory, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK
| | | | - Paul A Wright
- Transplantation Laboratory, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bettens F, Calderin Sollet Z, Buhler S, Villard J. CD8+ T-Cell Repertoire in Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I-Mismatched Alloreactive Immune Response. Front Immunol 2021; 11:588741. [PMID: 33552048 PMCID: PMC7856301 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.588741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In transplantation, direct allorecognition is a complex interplay between T-cell receptors (TCR) and HLA molecules and their bound peptides expressed on antigen-presenting cells. In analogy to HLA mismatched hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), the TCR CDR3β repertoires of alloreactive cytotoxic CD8+ responder T cells, defined by the cell surface expression of CD137 and triggered in vitro by HLA mismatched stimulating cells, were analyzed in different HLA class I mismatched combinations. The same HLA mismatched stimulatory cells induced very different repertoires in distinct but HLA identical responders. Likewise, stimulator cells derived from HLA identical donors activated CD8+ cells expressing very different repertoires in the same mismatched responder. To mimic in vivo inflammation, expression of HLA class l antigens was upregulated in vitro on stimulating cells by the inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IFNβ. The repertoires differed whether the same responder cells were stimulated with cells treated or not with both cytokines. In conclusion, the selection and expansion of alloreactive cytotoxic T-cell clonotypes expressing a very diverse repertoire is observed repeatedly despite controlling for HLA disparities and is significantly influenced by the inflammatory status. This makes prediction of alloreactive T-cell repertoires a major challenge in HLA mismatched HSCT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florence Bettens
- Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zuleika Calderin Sollet
- Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Buhler
- Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean Villard
- Transplantation Immunology Unit and National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Visentin J, Couzi L, Taupin JL. Clinical relevance of donor-specific antibodies directed at HLA-C: A long road to acceptance. HLA 2020; 97:3-14. [PMID: 33052032 DOI: 10.1111/tan.14106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
In solid organ transplantation (SOT), the clinical relevance of donor-specific antibodies (DSA) directed at anti-HLA-A, -B, -DR and -DQ antigens is largely recognized while it is still a matter of debate for DSA directed at HLA-C. In this review, we summarize the peculiarities of HLA-C among class I HLA antigens as well as their immunogenicity, which underlie the clinical relevance of HLA-C locus and anti-HLA-C DSA in SOT. Many factors, both intrinsic and extrinsic to the HLA-C gene and HLA-C protein, explain its lower expression in comparison with HLA-A and -B. This lower expression can explain the apparent lower immunogenicity of HLA-C leading to a lower prevalence and strength of anti-HLA-C antibodies. Nevertheless, HLA-C antigens are truly immunogenic and preformed anti-HLA-C DSA are clinically relevant. Indeed, anti-HLA-C DSA are able to bind donor cells and to activate the complement pathway both ex vivo and in vivo. In line with this, numerous clinical studies now show that preformed DSA directed at native HLA-C molecules induce poorer graft outcomes. We then plead for the inclusion of HLA-C in all transplant allocation systems and we propose a strategy to cope with anti-HLA-C DSA in SOT. Beyond SOT, anti-HLA-C antibodies generate a growing interest in the allo-HCT, transfusion and obstetrics fields, while new concepts such as the role of the "missing-self" in solid organ rejection places HLA-C as an inescapable actor in transplant tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Visentin
- CHU de Bordeaux, Laboratoire d'Immunologie et Immunogénétique, Hôpital Pellegrin, Place Amélie Raba Léon, Bordeaux, France.,University of Bordeaux, CNRS, ImmunoConcEpT, Bordeaux, France
| | - Lionel Couzi
- University of Bordeaux, CNRS, ImmunoConcEpT, Bordeaux, France.,CHU de Bordeaux, Service de Néphrologie, Transplantation, Dialyse et Aphérèses, Hôpital Pellegrin, Place Amélie Raba Léon, Bordeaux, France
| | - Jean-Luc Taupin
- Laboratoire d'Immunologie et Histocompatibilité, Hôpital Saint-Louis, 1 avenue Claude Vellefaux, Paris, France.,INSERM, UMR976, and Institut de Recherche saint-Louis, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Yamamoto F, Suzuki S, Mizutani A, Shigenari A, Ito S, Kametani Y, Kato S, Fernandez-Viña M, Murata M, Morishima S, Morishima Y, Tanaka M, Kulski JK, Bahram S, Shiina T. Capturing Differential Allele-Level Expression and Genotypes of All Classical HLA Loci and Haplotypes by a New Capture RNA-Seq Method. Front Immunol 2020; 11:941. [PMID: 32547543 PMCID: PMC7272581 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00941] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The highly polymorphic human major histocompatibility complex (MHC) also known as the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) encodes class I and II genes that are the cornerstone of the adaptive immune system. Their unique diversity (>25,000 alleles) might affect the outcome of any transplant, infection, and susceptibility to autoimmune diseases. The recent rapid development of new next-generation sequencing (NGS) methods provides the opportunity to study the influence/correlation of this high level of HLA diversity on allele expression levels in health and disease. Here, we describe the NGS capture RNA-Seq method that we developed for genotyping all 12 classical HLA loci (HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C, HLA-DPA1, HLA-DPB1, HLA-DQA1, HLA-DQB1, HLA-DRA, HLA-DRB1, HLA-DRB3, HLA-DRB4, and HLA-DRB5) and assessing their allelic imbalance by quantifying their allele RNA levels. This is a target enrichment method where total RNA is converted to a sequencing-ready complementary DNA (cDNA) library and hybridized to a complex pool of RNA-specific HLA biotinylated oligonucleotide capture probes, prior to NGS. This method was applied to 161 peripheral blood mononuclear cells and 48 umbilical cord blood cells of healthy donors. The differential allelic expression of 10 HLA loci (except for HLA-DRA and HLA-DPA1) showed strong significant differences (P < 2.1 × 10-15). The results were corroborated by independent methods. This newly developed NGS method could be applied to a wide range of biological and medical questions including graft rejections and HLA-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fumiko Yamamoto
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Shingo Suzuki
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Akiko Mizutani
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
- Faculty of Health and Medical Science, Teikyo Heisei University, Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsuko Shigenari
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Sayaka Ito
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Yoshie Kametani
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Shunichi Kato
- Division of Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Department of Innovative Medical Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Marcelo Fernandez-Viña
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, United States
- Histocompatibility, Immunogenetics, and Disease Profiling Laboratory, Stanford Blood Center, Stanford Health Care, Palo Alto, CA, United States
| | - Makoto Murata
- Department of Hematology and Oncology, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Satoko Morishima
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Hematology, Rheumatology, Second Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Japan
| | - Yasuo Morishima
- Department of Promotion for Blood and Marrow Transplantation, Aichi Medical University School of Medicine, Nagakute, Japan
| | - Masafumi Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| | - Jerzy K Kulski
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The University of Western Australia Medical School, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Seiamak Bahram
- Laboratoire d'ImmunoRhumatologie Moléculaire, Plateforme GENOMAX, INSERM UMR_S 1109, LabEx TRANSPLANTEX, Fédération Hospitalo-Universitaire OMICARE, Laboratoire International Associé INSERM FJ-HLA-Japan, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg (FMTS), Faculté de Médecine, Université de Strasbourg, Service d'Immunologie Biologique, Nouvel Hôpital Civil, Strasbourg, France
| | - Takashi Shiina
- Department of Molecular Life Science, Tokai University School of Medicine, Isehara, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Carey BS, Poulton KV, Poles A. Factors affecting HLA expression: A review. Int J Immunogenet 2019; 46:307-320. [PMID: 31183978 DOI: 10.1111/iji.12443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The detection and semiquantitative measurement of circulating human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-specific antibodies is essential for the management of patients before and after transplantation. In addition, the pretransplant cross-match to assess the reactivity of recipient HLA antibody against donor lymphocytes has long been the gold standard to prevent hyperacute rejection. Whilst both of these tests assume that recipient HLA-specific antibody is the only variable in the assessment of transplant risk, this is not the case. Transplant immunologists recognize that some HLA antigens are expressed at levels a magnitude lower than others (e.g., HLA-C, HLA-DQ), but within loci, and between different cell types there are many factors that influence HLA expression in both resting and activated cells. HLA is not usually expressed without the specific promoter proteins NLRC5, for HLA class I, and CIITA, for class II. The quantity of HLA protein production is then affected by factors including promoter region polymorphisms, alternative exon splice sites, methylation and microRNA-directed degradation. Different loci are influenced by multiple combinations of these control mechanisms making prediction of HLA regulation difficult, but an ability to measure the cellular expression of each HLA antigen, in conjunction with knowledge of circulating HLA-specific antibody, would lead to a more informed algorithm to assess transplant risk.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B Sean Carey
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, Combined Laboratory, University Hospitals Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | | | - Anthony Poles
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, Combined Laboratory, University Hospitals Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Petersdorf EW, O'hUigin C. The MHC in the era of next-generation sequencing: Implications for bridging structure with function. Hum Immunol 2019; 80:67-78. [PMID: 30321633 PMCID: PMC6542361 DOI: 10.1016/j.humimm.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Revised: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The MHC continues to have the most disease-associations compared to other regions of the human genome, even in the genome-wide association study (GWAS) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) era. Analysis of non-coding variation and their impact on the level of expression of HLA allotypes has shed new light on the potential mechanisms underlying HLA disease associations and alloreactivity in transplantation. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology has the capability of delineating the phase of variants in the HLA antigen-recognition site (ARS) with non-coding regulatory polymorphisms. These relationships are critical for understanding the qualitative and quantitative implications of HLA gene diversity. This article summarizes current understanding of non-coding region variation of HLA loci, the consequences of regulatory variation on HLA expression, the role for evolution in shaping lineage-specific expression, and the impact of HLA expression on disease susceptibility and transplantation outcomes. A role for phased sequencing methods for the MHC, and perspectives for future directions in basic and applied immunogenetic studies of the MHC are presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Effie W Petersdorf
- University of Washington, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, D4-115, Seattle, WA 98109, United States.
| | - Colm O'hUigin
- Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Microbiome and Genetics Core, Building 37, Room 4140B, Bethesda, MD 20852, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Anderson SK. Molecular evolution of elements controlling HLA-C expression: Adaptation to a role as a killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor ligand regulating natural killer cell function. HLA 2018; 92:271-278. [PMID: 30232844 PMCID: PMC6251751 DOI: 10.1111/tan.13396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 09/14/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The regulatory elements controlling the transcription of the HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C genes have been extensively studied and compared. However, few studies have considered regulatory differences in the HLA genes from the perspective of their role as ligands for the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) family of HLA receptors expressed by natural killer (NK) cells. HLA-C is the most recently evolved gene, and there is considerable evidence pointing to its emergence as a specialized KIR ligand playing a major role in the missing-self recognition system of NK cells. Here I evaluate gene-specific differences in regulatory elements of the HLA genes, showing alterations that are consistent with the adaptation of HLA-C to a role in NK cell regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephen K Anderson
- Basic Science Program, Cancer and Inflammation Program, Frederick National Laboratory sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Pan N, Lu S, Wang W, Miao F, Sun H, Wu S, Nan D, Qiu J, Xu J, Zhang J. Quantification of classical HLA class I mRNA by allele-specific, real-time polymerase chain reaction for most Han individuals. HLA 2017; 91:112-123. [PMID: 29178661 DOI: 10.1111/tan.13186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Revised: 11/16/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that expression levels of different alleles at the same HLA class I locus can vary dramatically, which might have a broad influence on human disease. However, precise quantification of the relative expression level of each HLA allele is challenging, because distinguishing different alleles on the same locus is difficult. Here, we developed a series of allele-specific, real-time polymerase chain reaction assays for quantifying HLA class I allele mRNA in most Han individuals. The alleles of almost all heterozygous genotypes with a frequency higher than 0.5% in our population (78 alleles on HLA-A locus, 124 alleles on HLA-B locus, and 74 alleles on HLA-C locus) were specifically amplified. The specificity of the amplification was strictly validated by setting the corresponding negative control for each allele of each genotype. The amplification efficiency of each reaction was determined, and the slopes of the reactions were compared. This study provides a tool for detecting the comprehensive expression profile of HLA class I alleles and will be useful not only for the investigation of the molecular mechanism underlying HLA allele expression regulation but also for exploration of immunological mechanisms involving HLA expression in the fields of tumour immune evasion, viral infection, auto-immune disorders, and graft vs host disease after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Pan
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - S Lu
- Center of Liver Transplantation, First Affiliated Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - W Wang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - F Miao
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - H Sun
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - S Wu
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine Key Laboratory, Liaocheng People's Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - D Nan
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - J Qiu
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,The Second Affiliated Hospital of Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - J Xu
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China.,Huai'an First People's Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Huai'an, China
| | - J Zhang
- Department of Immunology and Pathogen Biology, Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Stability and Expression Levels of HLA-C on the Cell Membrane Modulate HIV-1 Infectivity. J Virol 2017; 92:JVI.01711-17. [PMID: 29070683 PMCID: PMC5730790 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01711-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2017] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
HLA-C expression is associated with a differential ability to control HIV-1 infection. Higher HLA-C levels may lead to better control of HIV-1 infection through both a higher efficiency of antigen presentation to cytotoxic T lymphocytes and the triggering of activating killer immunoglobulin-like receptors on NK cells, whereas lower levels may provide poor HIV-1 control and rapid progression to AIDS. We characterized the relative amounts of HLA-C heterotrimers (heavy chain/β2 microglobulin [β2m]/peptide) and HLA-C free heavy chains on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy blood donors harboring both alleles with stable or unstable binding to β2m/peptide. We analyzed the stability of HLA-C heterotrimers of different allotypes and the infectivity of HIV-1 virions produced by PBMCs with various allotypes. We observed significant differences in HLA-C heterotrimer stability and in expression levels. We found that R5 HIV-1 virions produced by PBMCs harboring unstable HLA-C alleles were more infectious than those produced by PBMCs carrying the stable variants. We propose that HIV-1 infectivity might depend both on the amounts of HLA-C molecules and on their stability as trimeric complex. According to this model, individuals with low-expression HLA-C alleles and unstable binding to β2m/peptide might have worse control of HIV-1 infection and an intrinsically higher capacity to support viral replication. IMPORTANCE Following HIV-1 infection, some people advance rapidly to AIDS while others have slow disease progression. HLA-C, a molecule involved in immunity, is a key determinant of HIV-1 control. Here we reveal how HLA-C variants contribute to the modulation of viral infectivity. HLA-C is present on the cell surface in two different conformations. The immunologically active conformation is part of a complex that includes β2 microglobulin/peptide; the other conformation is not bound to β2 microglobulin/peptide and can associate with HIV-1, increasing its infectivity. Individuals with HLA-C variants with a predominance of immunologically active conformations would display stronger immunity to HIV-1, reduced viral infectivity and effective control of HIV-1 infection, while subjects with HLA-C variants that easily dissociate from β2 microglobulin/peptide would have a reduced immunological response to HIV-1 and produce more infectious virions. This study provides new information that could be useful in the design of novel vaccine strategies and therapeutic approaches to HIV-1.
Collapse
|
16
|
Segawa H, Kukita Y, Kato K. HLA genotyping by next-generation sequencing of complementary DNA. BMC Genomics 2017; 18:914. [PMID: 29179676 PMCID: PMC5704545 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-017-4300-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2017] [Accepted: 11/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Genotyping of the human leucocyte antigen (HLA) is indispensable for various medical treatments. However, unambiguous genotyping is technically challenging due to high polymorphism of the corresponding genomic region. Next-generation sequencing is changing the landscape of genotyping. In addition to high throughput of data, its additional advantage is that DNA templates are derived from single molecules, which is a strong merit for the phasing problem. Although most currently developed technologies use genomic DNA, use of cDNA could enable genotyping with reduced costs in data production and analysis. We thus developed an HLA genotyping system based on next-generation sequencing of cDNA. Methods Each HLA gene was divided into 3 or 4 target regions subjected to PCR amplification and subsequent sequencing with Ion Torrent PGM. The sequence data were then subjected to an automated analysis. The principle of the analysis was to construct candidate sequences generated from all possible combinations of variable bases and arrange them in decreasing order of the number of reads. Upon collecting candidate sequences from all target regions, 2 haplotypes were usually assigned. Cases not assigned 2 haplotypes were forwarded to 4 additional processes: selection of candidate sequences applying more stringent criteria, removal of artificial haplotypes, selection of candidate sequences with a relaxed threshold for sequence matching, and countermeasure for incomplete sequences in the HLA database. Results The genotyping system was evaluated using 30 samples; the overall accuracy was 97.0% at the field 3 level and 98.3% at the G group level. With one sample, genotyping of DPB1 was not completed due to short read size. We then developed a method for complete sequencing of individual molecules of the DPB1 gene, using the molecular barcode technology. Conclusion The performance of the automatic genotyping system was comparable to that of systems developed in previous studies. Thus, next-generation sequencing of cDNA is a viable option for HLA genotyping. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4300-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hidenobu Segawa
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Research Institute, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-8511, Japan
| | - Yoji Kukita
- Department of Molecular and Medical Genetics, Research Institute, Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Diseases, 1-3-3 Nakamichi, Higashinari-ku, Osaka, 537-8511, Japan
| | - Kikuya Kato
- Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Nara Institute of Science and Technology, 8916-5 Takayama, Ikoma, Nara, 630-0101, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
What compatibility in 2017 for the haematopoietic stem cell transplantation? Transfus Clin Biol 2017; 24:124-130. [PMID: 28709842 DOI: 10.1016/j.tracli.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The diversification of potential donors to perform stem cell allografts now enables to propose a compatible graft cell source adapted to the different clinical situations. Transplants with a geno-identical sibling donor, otherwise with the most HLA-compatible unrelated donor, remain the first-line solutions. Alternative transplants allow to graft patients having no donors in international registries, owing to the rarity of their HLA typing. They are carried out with fairly incompatible grafts and are therefore limited by the existence in the recipient of preformed anti-HLA antibodies which predispose to their rejection. The simple prevention of acute Graft-versus-host disease in haplo-identical transplants, as well as the availability of donors, explain why they have very often replaced placental stem cell transplants. These latter remain useful for pediatric patients or in the absence of family donors.
Collapse
|
18
|
Serena M, Parolini F, Biswas P, Sironi F, Blanco Miranda A, Zoratti E, Scupoli MT, Ziglio S, Valenzuela-Fernandez A, Gibellini D, Romanelli MG, Siccardi A, Malnati M, Beretta A, Zipeto D. HIV-1 Env associates with HLA-C free-chains at the cell membrane modulating viral infectivity. Sci Rep 2017; 7:40037. [PMID: 28051183 PMCID: PMC5209703 DOI: 10.1038/srep40037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 11/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HLA-C has been demonstrated to associate with HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein (Env). Virions lacking HLA-C have reduced infectivity and increased susceptibility to neutralizing antibodies. Like all others MHC-I molecules, HLA-C requires β2-microglobulin (β2m) for appropriate folding and expression on the cell membrane but this association is weaker, thus generating HLA-C free-chains on the cell surface. In this study, we deepen the understanding of HLA-C and Env association by showing that HIV-1 specifically increases the amount of HLA-C free chains, not bound to β2m, on the membrane of infected cells. The association between Env and HLA-C takes place at the cell membrane requiring β2m to occur. We report that the enhanced infectivity conferred to HIV-1 by HLA-C specifically involves HLA-C free chain molecules that have been correctly assembled with β2m. HIV-1 Env-pseudotyped viruses produced in the absence of β2m are less infectious than those produced in the presence of β2m. We hypothesize that the conformation and surface expression of HLA-C molecules could be a discriminant for the association with Env. Binding stability to β2m may confer to HLA-C the ability to preferentially act either as a conventional immune-competent molecule or as an accessory molecule involved in HIV-1 infectivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michela Serena
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Francesca Parolini
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Priscilla Biswas
- IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Sironi
- IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Almudena Blanco Miranda
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Elisa Zoratti
- University Laboratory of Medical Research, Piazzale L. A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Scupoli
- University Laboratory of Medical Research, Piazzale L. A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Serena Ziglio
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy.,Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Virología IUETSPC, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Agustin Valenzuela-Fernandez
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Celular y Viral, Unidad de Virología IUETSPC, Unidad de Farmacología, Sección de Medicina, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de La Laguna (ULL), Campus de Ofra s/n, 38071, Tenerife, Spain
| | - Davide Gibellini
- Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Romanelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Siccardi
- IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Mauro Malnati
- IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Beretta
- IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Via Olgettina 60, 20132, Milan, Italy
| | - Donato Zipeto
- Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Bettens F, Buhler S, Tiercy JM. Allorecognition of HLA-C Mismatches by CD8 + T Cells in Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation Is a Complex Interplay between Mismatched Peptide-Binding Region Residues, HLA-C Expression, and HLA-DPB1 Disparities. Front Immunol 2016; 7:584. [PMID: 28018351 PMCID: PMC5151176 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2016.00584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 11/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
HLA-C locus mismatches (MMs) are the most frequent class I disparities in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) and have a detrimental impact on clinical outcome. Recently, a few retrospective clinical studies have reported some variability in the immunogenicity of HLA-C incompatibilities. To get better insight into presumably permissive HLA-C MMs, we have developed a one-way in vitro mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) assay allowing to quantify activated CD56-CD137+CD8+ lymphocytes in HLA-C incompatible combinations. T cell-mediated alloresponses were correlated with genetic markers such as HLA-C mRNA expression and the number of amino acid (aa) MMs in the α1/α2 domains (peptide-binding region). Because of the high rate of HLA-DPB1 incompatibilities in HLA-A-, B-, C-, DRB1-, and DQB1-matched unrelated HSCT patient/donor pairs, the impact of HLA-DPB1 mismatching, a potential bystander of CD4+ T cell activation, was also considered. Heterogeneous alloresponses were measured in 63 HLA-C-mismatched pairs with a positive assay in 52% of the combinations (2.3-18.6% activated CTLs), representing 24 different HLA-A~B~DRB1~DQB1 haplotypes. There was no correlation between measured alloresponses and mRNA expression of the mismatched HLA-C alleles. The HLA-C*03:03/03:04 MM did not induce any positive alloresponse in five MLRs. We also identified HLA-C*02:02 and HLA-C*06:02 as mismatched alleles with lower immunogenicity, and HLA-C*14:02 as a more immunogenic MM. A difference of at least 10 aa residues known to impact peptide/T cell receptor (TCR) binding and a bystander HLA-DPB1 incompatibility had a significant impact on CTL alloreactivity (p = 0.021). The same HLA-C MM, when recognized by two different responders with the same HLA haplotypes, was recognized differently, emphasizing the role of the T-cell repertoire of responding cells. In conclusion, mismatched HLA-C alleles differing by 10 or more aas in the peptide/TCR-binding region, when occurring together with HLA-DPB1 incompatibilities, should be considered as high-risk MMs in unrelated HSCT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florence Bettens
- National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Stéphane Buhler
- National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Jean-Marie Tiercy
- National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Department of Genetic and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospitals Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Polymorphisme des gènes HLA et KIR et l’impact sur le devenir de la greffe et le choix du donneur non apparenté de cellules souche hématopoïétiques : recommandations de la Société francophone de greffe de moelle et de thérapie cellulaire (SFGM-TC). Bull Cancer 2016; 103:S243-S247. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bulcan.2016.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 09/01/2016] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
|
21
|
Bardeskar NS, Mania-Pramanik J. HIV and host immunogenetics: unraveling the role of HLA-C. HLA 2016; 88:221-231. [PMID: 27620973 DOI: 10.1111/tan.12882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Accepted: 08/19/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Host genetic factors play a major role in determining the outcome of many infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Multiple host factors have been studied till date showing their varied role in susceptibility or resistance to HIV infection. HLA-C, however, has been recently started gaining interest in researchers mind revealing its polymorphisms to have an important effect on viral load set-points, disease progression as well as transmission. In this review report, we have compiled these significant findings of HLA-C in HIV infection, in an attempt to highlight the need for further research in the area in different ethnic population to establish its role in the infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N S Bardeskar
- Infectious Diseases Biology Department, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, 400012, India
| | - J Mania-Pramanik
- Infectious Diseases Biology Department, National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health, Mumbai, 400012, India.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Little AM, Green A, Harvey J, Hemmatpour S, Latham K, Marsh SGE, Poulton K, Sage D. BSHI Guideline: HLA matching and donor selection for haematopoietic progenitor cell transplantation. Int J Immunogenet 2016; 43:263-86. [DOI: 10.1111/iji.12282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A-M. Little
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory; Gartnavel General Hospital; Glasgow UK
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation; College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences; University of Glasgow; Glasgow UK
| | - A. Green
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory; NHS Blood and Transplant; Filton UK
| | - J. Harvey
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory; NHS Blood and Transplant; Filton UK
| | - S. Hemmatpour
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory; NHS Blood and Transplant; London Tooting UK
| | - K. Latham
- Anthony Nolan Research Institute; Royal Free Hospital; London UK
| | - S. G. E. Marsh
- Anthony Nolan Research Institute; Royal Free Hospital; London UK
- Cancer Institute; University College London; London UK
| | - K. Poulton
- Transplantation Laboratory; Manchester Royal Infirmary; Manchester UK
- British Society for Histocompatibility & Immunogenetics
| | - D. Sage
- Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics Laboratory; NHS Blood and Transplant; London Tooting UK
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
René C, Lozano C, Eliaou JF. Expression of classical HLA class I molecules: regulation and clinical impacts: Julia Bodmer Award Review 2015. HLA 2016; 87:338-49. [PMID: 27060357 DOI: 10.1111/tan.12787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I genes are ubiquitously expressed, but in a tissue specific-manner. Their expression is primarily regulated at the transcriptional level and can be modulated both positively and negatively by different stimuli. Advances in sequencing technologies led to the identification of new regulatory variants located in the untranslated regions (UTRs), which could influence the expression. After a brief description of the mechanisms underlying the transcriptional regulation of HLA class I genes expression, we will review how the expression levels of HLA class I genes could affect biological and pathological processes. Then, we will discuss on the differential expression of HLA class I genes according to the locus, allele and UTR polymorphisms and its clinical impact. This interesting field of study led to a new dimension of HLA typing, going beyond a qualitative aspect.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C René
- Department of Immunology, CHRU de Montpellier, University Hospital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France.,Faculté de Médecine, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM U1183, Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy (IRMB), CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - C Lozano
- Department of Immunology, CHRU de Montpellier, University Hospital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France
| | - J-F Eliaou
- Department of Immunology, CHRU de Montpellier, University Hospital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France.,Faculté de Médecine, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM U1194, IRCM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
René C, Lozano C, Villalba M, Eliaou JF. 5' and 3' untranslated regions contribute to the differential expression of specific HLA-A alleles. Eur J Immunol 2015; 45:3454-63. [PMID: 26399450 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201545927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 09/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
In hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), when no HLA full-matched donor is available, alternative donors could include one HLA-mismatched donor. Recently, the low expressed HLA-C alleles have been identified as permissive mismatches for the best donor choice. Concerning HLA-A, the degree of variability of expression is poorly understood. Here, we evaluated HLA-A expression in healthy individuals carrying HLA-A*02 allele in different genotypes using flow cytometry and allele-specific quantitative RT-PCR. While an interindividual variability of HLA-A*02 cell surface expression, not due to the allele associated, was observed, no difference of the mRNA expression level was shown, suggesting the involvement of the posttranscriptional regulation. The results of qRT-PCR analyses exhibit a differential expression of HLA-A alleles with HLA-A*02 as the strongest expressed allele independently of the second allele. The associated non-HLA-A*02 alleles were differentially expressed, particularly the HLA-A*31 and HLA-A*33 alleles (strong expression) and the HLA-A*29 (low expression). The presence of specific polymorphisms in the 5' and 3' untranslated regions of the HLA-A*31 and HLA-A*33 alleles could contribute to this high level of expression. As previously described for HLA-C, low-expressed HLA-A alleles, such as HLA-A*29, could be considered as a permissive mismatch, although this needs to be confirmed by clinical studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Céline René
- Department of Immunology, CHRU de Montpellier, University Hospital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France.,Faculté de Médecine, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM U1183, Université de Montpellier, UFR Médecine, Montpellier, France
| | - Claire Lozano
- Department of Immunology, CHRU de Montpellier, University Hospital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France
| | - Martin Villalba
- INSERM U1183, Université de Montpellier, UFR Médecine, Montpellier, France.,Institute for Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapy (IRMB), CHRU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jean-François Eliaou
- Department of Immunology, CHRU de Montpellier, University Hospital Saint-Eloi, Montpellier, France.,Faculté de Médecine, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,INSERM U1194, IRCM University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Long W, Shi Z, Fan S, Liu L, Lu Y, Guo X, Rong C, Cui X, Ding H. Association of maternal KIR and fetal HLA-C genes with the risk of preeclampsia in the Chinese Han population. Placenta 2014; 36:433-7. [PMID: 24951171 DOI: 10.1016/j.placenta.2014.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Revised: 05/21/2014] [Accepted: 05/24/2014] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study is to investigate the distribution of inhibitory and activating killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and the combination of KIR/human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-C in women with preeclampsia in the Chinese Han population. METHODS A total of 271 patients and 295 controls were enrolled in our study. The inhibitory/activating KIR and HLA-C genes were detected using the PCR-SSP (polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers) method. RESULTS Our result showed that decreased numbers of individual activating KIR genes (2DS2, 2DS3, and 2DS5) were observed in women with preeclampsia. Furthermore, the gene frequency of total activating KIRs was significantly lower in patients compared with that of the controls (P = 0.03). The frequency of the KIR2DL1 gene was increased in women with preeclampsia when a homozygous HLA-C2 allele appeared in the fetus. CONCLUSION The results suggest that a KIR genetic variation might influence the risk of preeclampsia. The lack of activating KIRs could possibly lower uterine natural killer (uNK) cell activation, thereby contributing to the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. Moreover, the imbalance of the inhibitory or activating signals at the maternal-fetal interface seems to play a regulatory role in the occurrence of preeclampsia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- W Long
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Z Shi
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - S Fan
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - L Liu
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - Y Lu
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - X Guo
- Maternal and Child Health Medical Institute, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - C Rong
- Maternal and Child Health Medical Institute, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China
| | - X Cui
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China.
| | - H Ding
- Department of Obstetrics, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Nanjing Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanjing 210004, China.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Tiercy JM. HLA-C Incompatibilities in Allogeneic Unrelated Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation. Front Immunol 2014; 5:216. [PMID: 24904572 PMCID: PMC4032933 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2014.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
An increasingly larger fraction of patients with hematological diseases are treated by hematopoietic stem cells transplantation (HSCT) from HLA matched unrelated donors. Polymorphisms of HLA genes represent a major barrier to HSCT because HLA-A, -B, -C and DRB1 incompatibilities confer a higher risk of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) and mortality. Although >22 million volunteer HLA-typed donors are available worldwide, still a significant number of patients do not find a highly matched HSC donor. Because of the large haplotypic diversity in HLA-B–C associations, incompatibilities occur most frequently at HLA-C, so that unrelated donors with a single HLA-C mismatch often represent the only possible choice. The ratio of HLA-C-mismatched HSCT over the total number of transplants varies from 15 to 30%, as determined in 12 multicenter studies. Six multicenter studies involving >1800 patients have reported a 21–43% increase in mortality risk. By using in vitro cellular assays, a large heterogeneity in T-cell allorecognition has been observed. Yet the permissiveness of individual HLA-C mismatches remains poorly defined. It could be linked to the position and nature of the mismatched residues on HLA-C molecules, but also to variability in the expression levels of the mismatched alleles. The permissive C*03:03–03:04 mismatch is characterized by full compatibility at residues 9, 97, 99, 116, 152, 156, and 163 reported to be key positions influencing T-cell allorecognition. With a single difference among these seven key residues the C*07:01–07:02 mismatch might also be considered by analogy as permissive. High variability of HLA-C expression as determined by quantitative RT-PCR has been observed within individual allotypes and shows some correlation with A–B–C–DRB1 haplotypes. Thus in addition to the position of mismatched amino acid residues, expression level of patient’s mismatched HLA-C allotype might influence T-cell allorecognition, with patients low expression-C alleles representing possible permissive mismatches.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Marie Tiercy
- Transplantation Immunology Unit, National Reference Laboratory for Histocompatibility, Department of Genetics and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital of Geneva, University of Geneva , Geneva , Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|