title: Primary cultured human thymic epithelial cells express both membrane-bound and soluble HLA-G translated products.
abstract: This report demonstrates that both membrane-bound and soluble HLA-G isoforms are present in primary cultured human thymic epithelial cells (TEC). HLA-G transcriptional isoforms have been detected by RT-PCR, using different sets of HLA-G specific primers. A flow cytometry analysis, using two anti-HLA-G mAbs, namely 87G and BFL.1, revealed the presence of HLA-G translated products at the cell surface of a subpopulation of TEC. Finally, it was shown that HLA-G soluble forms were secreted in TEC culture supernatant, using a sandwich ELISA with BFL.1 and W6/32 mAbs. These results confirm and extent those previously described showing that HLA-G expressing cells were detectable by immunohistochemistry in thymic medullary epithelial cells.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U395, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mallet
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fournel
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Campan
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lenfant
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Le Bouteiller
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D012995:Solubility; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I