title: Can viruses help us to understand and classify the MHC class I molecules at the maternal-fetal interface?
abstract: Placental expression of HLA-C, HLA-E, and HLA-G locus products is now well described. However, to date, the functional relevance of these MHC class I products at the maternal-fetal interface is incompletely described. We propose here that HLA-C, -E, and -G comprise a distinct and cohesive group of MHC class I products. This hypothesis is supported by a growing body of data, including that obtained through the study of viral immune evasion. Continued investigation of viral interactions with MHC class I products promises to help us to define those specific attributes of HLA-C, -E, and -G that define their common characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Furman
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Ploegh
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Schust
mesh_terms: D003587:Cytomegalovirus / Q000472:pathogenicity; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000145:classification*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology*; D014777:Virus Diseases / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I