title: Presence of detectable levels of soluble HLA-G molecules in CSF of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: relationship with CSF soluble HLA-I and IL-10 concentrations and MRI findings.
abstract: We have investigated the presence of non-classical soluble HLA-G molecules (sHLA-G) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and the possible relationships between CSF levels of sHLA-G, classical soluble HLA-I (sHLA-I) molecules, IL-10 amounts and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) findings were evaluated. We studied by ELISA technique the sHLA-I, sHLA-G and IL-10 levels in CSF of 50 relapsing-remitting (RR) MS patients stratified according to clinical and MRI evidence of disease activity. Thirty-six patients with other inflammatory neurological disorders (OIND) and 41 with non-inflammatory neurological disorders (NIND) were used as controls. CSF mean levels were significantly higher in MS and OIND than in NIND for sHLA-I (p<0.001) and in MS than in controls for sHLA-G (p<0.001), with no differences among the various groups for IL-10 mean concentrations. An increase in CSF sHLA-I was found in MS patients with Gd-enhancing lesions (p<0.01), while sHLA-G and IL-10 were more represented in MS patients without lesional activity on MRI scans (p<0.02). In MRI-inactive MS, CSF IL-10 mean concentrations were significantly greater in patients with CSF-detectable levels of sHLA-G than in those without any evidence of CSF sHLA-G expression (p<0.05). Our findings suggest that CSF classical sHLA-I and non-classical sHLA-G levels may modulate MS activity as assessed by MRI acting in opposite directions. The association observed between sHLA-G and IL-10 when Gd-enhancing lesion resolved indicates a potential immunoregulatory role for IL-10 in the control of MS disease activity by shifting the sHLA-I/sHLA-G balance towards sHLA-G response.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015153:Blotting, Western; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005682:Gadolinium; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020529:Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology*; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D016753:Interleukin-10; D005682:Gadolinium