Prominent HLA-G Expression in Liver Disease But Not After Liver Transplantation.

Transplantation

1 Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 2 Laboratory of Medical Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud University Medical Centre, Nijmegen, the Netherlands. 3 Department of Pathology, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 4 Department of Viroscience, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands. 5 Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Published: December 2015

Background: HLA-G is a nonclassical MHC class I molecule and its physiological expression restricted to placental extravillous trophoblasts contributes to maternal tolerance to the semiallogeneic fetus. Aberrant expression of HLA-G in human organ grafts has been proposed to contribute to graft acceptance.

Methods: We studied HLA-G expression in liver tissue and serum of adult liver transplant recipients before, early, and late after transplantation in relation to liver function and operational tolerance.

Results: Cirrhotic explant livers showed robust HLA-G expression on hepatocytes, whereas the majority of noncirrhotic livers and graft biopsies taken before or after liver transplantation (LTX) showed no, or weak, HLA-G expression. The HLA-G expression was induced on hepatocytes in vitro by TGF-β, but not by other relevant cytokines. Serum levels of the HLA-G isoforms 1 + 5 gradually declined after LTX. Early after LTX, serum HLA-G levels were higher in patients with acute rejection episodes than nonrejectors. Late after LTX, serum HLA-G levels did not differ between operationally tolerant patients and patients on regular immunosuppressive therapy.

Conclusions: Our data do not support a graft-protective role for HLA-G after LTX, but show that end-stage liver diseases are associated with HLA-G expression on hepatocytes, which may determine a negative feedback to protect the liver against immunological damage.

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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TP.0000000000000761DOI Listing

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