Hide-and-seek in the brain: a role for HLA-G mediating immune privilege for glioma cells.
This review summarizes the current knowledge on the expression and functional role of HLA-G in normal CNS cells and brain tumor cells in vitro and in vivo. The CNS has classically been viewed as an immune-privileged organ. Here we discuss some of the particularities of anti-tumoral responses within this compartment. Special emphasis is dedicated to the possible role of the non-classical MHC molecule HLA-G as an alternative mechanism of immune escape. We review the mechanisms how glioma cell-derived HLA-G may paralyze the immune system and which cellular subsets of the immune system are affected. Possible therapeutic implications derived from these observations include the targeting of HLA-G expression within the framework of inducing glioma-specific immunity.
Wiendl
Heinz
H
Department of Neurology, University of Tübingen, Hoppe-Seyler-Strasse 3, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany. heinz.wiendl@uni-tuebingen.de
Mitsdoerffer
Meike
M
Weller
Michael
M
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000276:immunology; D005910:Glioma / Q000378:metabolism*; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008954:Models, Biological
D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I