title: Role of 14-bp deletion in the HLA-G gene in the maintenance of pregnancy.
abstract: Differential expression of human leukocyte antigens (HLAs) on trophoblast has been the focus of many studies, specially on extravillous cytotrophoblast cells, which migrates into the maternal uterine tissues. These invading cells do not express classical major histocompatibility complex class I (-A and -B) and class II molecules, along with low expression of HLA-C. HLA-G is the predominantly expressed antigen along with HLA-E. Hence, it is believed that expressed antigens may be involved in materno-fetal tolerance. In the present study, we have studied 14-bp deletion polymorphism in the exon-8 of the non-classical HLA-G antigen. There was no difference in the frequency of deletion/insertion polymorphism in fertile normal women and recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) women. However, the number of heterozygotes (-14b/+14b) were increased in RSA women. The probable mechanism for the increase of heterozygotes in recurrent fetal loss is discussed in light of soluble HLA-G.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Raebareli Road, Lucknow, UP, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abbas
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naik
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agrawal
mesh_terms: D000026:Abortion, Habitual / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D006579:Heterozygote; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000235:genetics*; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011247:Pregnancy; D017384:Sequence Deletion
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I