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HLA-G expression in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis
Isabela J Wastowski1, Percival D Sampaio-Barros, Eliane M I Amstalden
1Program of Basic and Applied Immunology, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14049-900 Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. wastowski@usp.br
Objective:
To determine HLA-G expression in skin biopsies from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and its association with epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory variables and survival.
Methods:
Paraffin-embedded skin biopsies obtained from 21 SSc patients (14 limited SSc, 7 diffuse SSc) and from 28 healthy controls were studied. HLA-G expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry.
Results:
HLA-G molecules were detected in 57% of skin biopsies from patients with SSc (9 from limited SSc, 3 from diffuse SSc), whereas no control sample expressed HLA-G (p=0.000004). In patients, HLA-G molecules were consistently observed within epidermal and some dermal cells. HLA-G expression was associated with a lower frequency of vascular cutaneous ulcers (p=0.0004), telangiectasias (p=0.008), and inflammatory polyarthralgia (p=0.02). After a 15-year followup, SSc patients who exhibited HLA-G survived longer than patients who did not.
Conclusion:
HLA-G is expressed in skin biopsies from patients with SSc, and this is associated with a better disease prognosis. This suggests a modulatory role of HLA-G in SSc, as observed in other skin disorders.
