HLA-G polymorphism (rs16375) and acute rejection in liver transplant recipients.

Background: HLA-G molecules exhibit immunomodulatory properties that can delay graft rejection. The 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism (INDEL) (rs16375) influences the stability of final HLA-G mRNA and its soluble isoforms.

Objective: The present study aimed to investigate the possible association between this polymorphism and the incidence of acute rejection in Iranian liver transplant recipients.

Methods: Different genotypes were evaluated by PCR. The patients who had acute rejection within 6 months after transplantation were classified as acute rejection (AR) group, while others were considered as nonacute rejection (NAR) group.

Results: Among the recipients, 21 patients (21%) had at least one episode of AR, while the other 79 patients (79%) had normal liver function. No significant differences were found between the two groups regarding sex, MELD score, and primary liver disease. Also, no difference was observed concerning rs16375 genotype and allele frequency (P = 0.44, OR: 0.69; CI: 0.21-2.10).

Conclusion: The study results revealed no significant difference between the AR and the NAR groups regarding the 14 bp INDEL genotypes and alleles. Further studies are recommended to be conducted on other polymorphic sites as well as monitoring of serum HLA-G concentration in order to ascertain the potential implications of this marker in our population.