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HLA-G transcription studies during the different stages of normal and malignant hematopoiesis
1Laboratoire d'Hématologie et de la biologie des cellules sanguines, Université de Rennes I, France.
Specific expression of the non classical class I HLA-G gene on trophoblasts, the only fetal tissue in contact with maternal cells which lack MHC class I antigens, may indicate a role of this gene in fetal-maternal tolerance. We recently reported HLA-G transcription in peripheral blood leukocytes. In this work, we have investigated HLA-G transcription in hematopoietic stem cells, in different hematopoietic lineages and in malignant cells by using a RT-PCR technique. PCR amplification with primers specific to the exon 2 and the 3' untranslated region has enabled to detect HLA-G transcription in B and T cell populations. No transcription was found in CD34+ cells, in thymocytes, in polynuclear cells, in monocytes and in natural killer cells. Among the malignancies analyzed, HLA-G is transcribed in 2 of 13 cases of acute leukemia characterized by a monocytic contingent, in 3 of 6 CLL and in all the cases of B-NHL (n = 6). No HLA-G transcription was detected in myeloma (n = 2). The splicing type does not seem to be linked to a lymphocyte subpopulation nor to a malignant proliferation stage. These results suggest that HLA-G is a marker of mature lymphoid cells and may play an immunological function as a peptide presenting molecule. HLA-G transcription in some cases of malignancy might indicate a contribution to the tumoral progression by blocking natural killing reaction.
Specific expression of the non classical class I HLA-G gene on trophoblasts, the only fetal tissue in contact with maternal cells which lack MHC class I antigens, may indicate a role of this gene in fetal-maternal tolerance. We recently reported HLA-G transcription in peripheral blood leukocytes. In this work, we have investigated HLA-G transcription in hematopoietic stem cells, in different hematopoietic lineages and in malignant cells by using a RT-PCR technique. PCR amplification with primers specific to the exon 2 and the 3' untranslated region has enabled to detect HLA-G transcription in B and T cell populations. No transcription was found in CD34+ cells, in thymocytes, in polynuclear cells, in monocytes and in natural killer cells. Among the malignancies analyzed, HLA-G is transcribed in 2 of 13 cases of acute leukemia characterized by a monocytic contingent, in 3 of 6 CLL and in all the cases of B-NHL (n = 6). No HLA-G transcription was detected in myeloma (n = 2). The splicing type does not seem to be linked to a lymphocyte subpopulation nor to a malignant proliferation stage. These results suggest that HLA-G is a marker of mature lymphoid cells and may play an immunological function as a peptide presenting molecule. HLA-G transcription in some cases of malignancy might indicate a contribution to the tumoral progression by blocking natural killing reaction.