The HLA-G 14bp gene polymorphism and decidual HLA-G 14bp gene expression in pre-eclamptic and normal pregnancies

Iversen, Ann-Charlotte; Nguyen, Olav Toai Duc; Tømmerdal, Linda Føll; Eide, Irina Poliakova; Landsem, Veslemøy Malm; Acar, Nuray; Myhre, Ronny; Klungland, Helge; Austgulen, Rigmor

doi:10.1016/j.jri.2008.03.001

« Previous Next »Journal of Reproductive Immunology
Volume 78, Issue 2 , Pages 158-165, July 2008

The HLA-G 14bp gene polymorphism and decidual HLA-G 14bp gene expression in pre-eclamptic and normal pregnancies

Ann-Charlotte Iversen
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
- Corresponding author at: Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Olav Kyrres gt11, N-7006 Trondheim, Norway. Tel.: +47 72573305; fax: +47 72574704.
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Olav Toai Duc Nguyen
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
- These authors contributed equally to this work.
Linda Føll Tømmerdal
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
Irina Poliakova Eide
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, St. Olav Hospital, Trondheim University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway
Veslemøy Malm Landsem
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
Nuray Acar
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
Ronny Myhre
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
Helge Klungland
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway
Rigmor Austgulen
- Department of Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Women and Children's Centre, Trondheim, Norway

Received 4 December 2007; received in revised form 30 January 2008; accepted 3 March 2008. published online 18 April 2008.

Abstract

Trophoblast expression of the non-classical MHC, HLA-G, is considered essential for feto-maternal immune tolerance and successful placentation in pregnancy. The HLA-G 14bp polymorphism in the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of the HLA-G gene has been reported to be associated with development of pre-eclampsia (PE). In this study, maternal (peripheral blood, n=54) and fetal (cord blood, n=57) HLA-G 14bp genotypes have been determined by PCR in pre-eclamptic and normal pregnancies. In addition, HLA-G 14bp gene expression in decidua basalis (n=59) was analyzed by RT-PCR. The pre-eclamptic syndrome was neither associated with the HLA-G 14bp genotype (maternal or fetal), nor with altered decidual HLA-G 14bp gene expression. Furthermore, the HLA-G 14bp mRNA expressed in decidua basalis was of fetal origin and all potential transcripts, as predicted from the fetal HLA-G 14bp genotype, were expressed. In contrast to previous findings, we found no correlation between the HLA-G 14bp polymorphism and fetal growth. In conclusion, the fetal HLA-G 14bp genotype is reflected in the decidual HLA-G mRNA splice form profile, but does not appear to be associated with increased risk for development of PE.