The expression of human leukocyte antigen-G on trophoblasts abolishes the growth-suppressing effect of interleukin-2 towards them.
OBJECTIVE
We have shown the attenuated human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G expression on trophoblasts and an aberrant expression of interleukin (IL)-2, a cytotoxic cytokine, in decidual tissue in preeclampsia, where deteriorated trophoblastic invasion into decidual layers may constitute a crucial pathogenesis. We hypothesized that the absence of HLA-G might make trophoblasts susceptible to compromise by IL-2.


METHODS
We analyzed the growth of HLA-G-negative and positive cell lines, all of which possessed IL-2 receptors, in the culture with or without IL-2 supplementation.


RESULTS
The proliferation of HLA-G positive trophoblastic cell lines (BeWo and JEG-3) was not influenced by the addition of IL-2, whereas a HLA-G-negative trophoblastic cell line (JAR) exhibited significantly decreased proliferation when cultured with IL-2. Interestingly, the transfection of JAR cells with HLA-G completely eliminates the growth-inhibitory effect of IL-2.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of HLA-G may commit trophoblasts to evade cell damage by IL-2, which may be relevant to maternal tolerance of the fetus during pregnancy and its derangement as exemplified by preeclampsia.
Hamai
Y
Y
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Japan.
Fujii
T
T
Yamashita
T
T
Miki
A
A
Hyodo
H
H
Kozuma
S
S
Geraghty
D E
DE
Taketani
Y
Y
D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000502:physiology*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014327:Trophoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D007376:Interleukin-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2