Elevated Soluble HLA-G Levels Associate With Dengue Severity in Vietnamese Patients
Do Duc Anh1,2, Nguyen Trong The2,3, Le Huu Song2,3
1Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Journal of Medical Virology
|September 5, 2025
Summary
Elevated soluble human leukocyte antigen G (sHLA-G) levels are linked to increased dengue severity. This immune marker may help identify high-risk dengue patients needing closer clinical monitoring.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Virology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Dengue pathogenesis is complex, with immune evasion potentially involving immune-inhibitory molecules.
- Soluble human leukocyte antigen G (sHLA-G) is a known immunoregulatory molecule implicated in immune evasion.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between plasma sHLA-G levels and dengue severity.
- To assess sHLA-G as a potential biomarker for identifying severe dengue cases.
Main Methods:
- Plasma sHLA-G levels were measured by ELISA in 238 dengue patients and 118 healthy controls.
- Dengue severity was classified using WHO guidelines: dengue fever (DF), dengue with warning signs (DWS), and severe dengue (SD).
- Statistical analyses correlated sHLA-G levels with clinical parameters and disease severity.
Main Results:
- Dengue patients exhibited significantly higher sHLA-G levels than healthy controls (p < 0.001).
- Elevated sHLA-G levels were associated with increased days of illness (p=0.03) and higher severity (DWS/SD) (p=0.011).
- Positive correlations were found between sHLA-G and ALT/AST; inverse correlation with lymphocyte counts in severe cases (p=0.002).
Conclusions:
- Elevated plasma sHLA-G levels are significantly associated with dengue severity.
- sHLA-G may serve as a valuable biomarker for identifying high-risk dengue patients.
- Monitoring sHLA-G could aid in guiding clinical management and patient stratification.
